‘Chinese Universities Use Big Data to Monitor Students’

A Chinese university has been training educators to monitor students with an on-campus information management system, according to a recording obtained by the Chinese language edition of The Epoch Times. According to the recording from a 2019 training session on the information management system, the School of Marxism at Wuhan University is responsible for training political instructors from all Chinese tertiary educational institutions on how to use the system. Political instructors are responsible for students’ political indoctrination and surveillance of their thinking, especially their political and religious ideologies. The publication obtained the recording in July from a reliable source who requested to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation from the authorities. According to the trainer in the recording, the system comprises an online database, an offline database and real-time monitoring devices. Surveillance begins when students scan the barcode on their enrolment notices. When students arrive on campus, they fill out various forms, which add to their database. The personal information is recorded in the system, including academic and disciplinary records, library books, cafeteria food, conversations with teachers, and absence from classes. A real-time monitoring system sends messages to relevant political instructors at 10:30 p.m. and 7:30 a.m. every day, informing them of the students who haven’t returned to their dormitories and suggesting disciplinary action!