CHINA: Top university accused of selling out

Corporate sponsorship is part of life for universities in the UK and US, which regularly raise hundreds of millions of pounds from donors. As Chinese universities race to transform themselves into world-class institutions, they are increasingly looking outwards for funding. But Tsinghua University's decision to rename its No 4 Teaching Building, in large gold letters, as the Jeanswest Building seems to have crossed a line, writes Malcolm Moore for The Telegraph.

The alma mater of China's President Hu Jintao saw the new sign defaced with spray paint within days while students took to the internet to denounce the greed of their administration. "This name has made Tsinghua a laughing stock," said one commenter. "I feel that the Tsinghua spirit has been sold at a low price," added a student named Zhang Jinyuan to the South China Morning Post.

The scandal even drew a slap on the wrist for Tsinghua from China's education ministry, which commented that the university could find "a more suitable way" to express its thanks for sponsorship. The nameplate has now been taken down, and is unlikely to reappear. Jeanswest, a popular Australian brand that is now owned by a Hong Kong company, said it understood the situation and would "continue to support education in many ways".
Full report on The Telegraph site