Screenshot photo shows an email reminding its international students not to cheat on exams with the word cheating written in Chinese.
The University of Liverpool apologized Tuesday after an email reminding its international students not to cheat on exams with the word cheating written in Chinese, sparked controversy.
The university's vice-chancellor, Dame Janet Bear, apologized to students on late Tuesday via an email sent to all international students. "It was wholly inappropriate and I apologize wholeheartedly for the offence it has caused."
His apology came after more than 1,000 students signed a petition on the website Change.org, which criticized the university for irresponsible, arrogant, and discriminative action that hurts all international students, especially those from Chinese-speaking countries.
In an earlier explanation from the Student Services Centre at the university, the university tried to brush aside the criticism, claiming Chinese students are usually unfamiliar with the word "cheating" in English and thus provide the translation.
Many students said online that this explanation was equally humiliating to about Chinese students would have already obtained a 6.5 in IELTS exams in order to meet university entrance requirements.
The alleged racists email from the university said "students who caught wubi [Chinese word means cheating] in exams suffer serious consequences such as a mark of zero, suspension for 1 year or terminations of studies," which contains several deviations from proper English style writing.
