Indiana University is closing the Confucius Institute at its Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis campus amid growing concerns over the Chinese influence on campuses across the U.S.
The Institute, a non-profit public educational organization affiliated with the Ministry of Education of China, claims to promote Chinese language and culture.
According to The Washington Post, the school shut down its branch of the institute on Wednesday in response to federal changes to Chinese language programs.
“Indiana University decided, effective on April 3, 2019, to close the Confucius Institute of Indianapolis based at [Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis],” the university said in a statement.
Last month, a Senate report revealed that the Confucius Institutes were found to be spreading propaganda on more than 100 college campuses across the country, spending $150 million over the last decade to limit criticism of China’s political policies.
Many have criticized the institutes in the past, alleging that they pose a serious threat to the country’s national security. Over the last six months, many higher education institutes across the country have severed ties with the Confucius Institutes as well, including the University of South Florida, University of Michigan, University of North Florida and Cornell University.
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