Peking University (Beida), one of China's most prestigious educational institutions, attracts more than just the brightest minds, so much so that it has had to impose a ban on group visitors who reportedly disrupt its scholastic serenity.

It is not uncommon to see busloads of parents and grandparents leading children, even toddlers, around the campus.

But the university has had enough of being a tourist attraction and has decided to ban all tour groups from the campus from July 27.

The exceptions are individual visitors and groups of high school students on excursions organized by educational institutions as long as they secure permission from the university's security department three days in advance.

Further, visitor numbers will be limited to 5,000 a day.

"But even high school student groups should visit from 8:30-11:30 AM and 12:00 AM-5:00 PM," the security department said.

According to a notice posted on the university's website over the weekend, the move is intended to maintain order on campus.

Not surprisingly, the decision has resulted in heated debate. While tourists feel aggrieved, students of the university have applauded the ban.

Beida, along with Tsinghua University, another of the country's premiere institutions, has become a must-see for tourists, especially for parents who want their children to excel academically.

Many tour agencies around the country arrange for visits to universities, which the universities do not charge for.

Tsinghua University has not announced any ban on campus tourism.

An official from the university's security department told The First that the biggest concern for Beida is not only the number of tourists, but also what they do and bring into the university grounds.

Beida's west gate and the street in front are so crowded with photo-snapping tourists that there is almost always a traffic jam. Moreover, vendors peddle T-shirts, drinks and souvenirs on campus.

"Going through the west gate once, I thought I had walked into a farmers' market," a Beida student wrote on a BBS Internet message board.

Teachers and students also complain about the noise caused by visitors who speak loudly near classrooms.

"Peking University should not become a tourist destination," said Tang Jun, a researcher with the Sociology Institute under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

He added that universities should be open to the public, but they can refuse groups organized by tour agencies, according to a Beijing Morning Post report.

The ban has upset many tourists.

"How could Peking University do this? Isn't the university built by the country and with taxpayers' money? I think it is also very meaningful for primary school students to visit the campus," said a man surnamed Cui from southwest China's Sichuan Province.

Gu Haibing, a professor at Renmin University of China, also opposed the ban.

"Peking University is the university of all Chinese people. It might want to close its campus to tour groups because it does not want to pay for the security," Beijing Morning Post quoted Gu as saying.

But according to Beida's security department, the ban is also for security reasons, adding that they need to cater for possible evacuation in the event of an emergency.

"There are many teaching buildings and labs, which are not good for evacuation," the department said. In addition to the 20,000 teachers, students, staff and tourists who visit the 400-acre campus every day, there are many more people to evacuate from Zhongguancun -- dubbed China's Silicon Valley -- and the Summer Palace, which are not far away. The huge number of tourists could cause big problems, including environmental damage and traffic congestions.

"I leave immediately after my lessons," said Ma Rong, dean of Beida's Sociology Department, adding that the scores of visitors have badly affected his work.

"Oxford and Cambridge don't have so many tourists. In any case, this is a university not a park! Peking University is not an absolutely open university, and the space is not enough; people are not always well-behaved, and this disturbs university staff and students. We have to consider local conditions, and not be in such a hurry to do everything that world-famous universities do."

(China Daily, China.org.cn July 25, 2006)