Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei yesterday said he had accepted a job at an art university in Germany, as he battles charges of massive tax evasion after nearly three months in police detention.

The 54-year-old – an outspoken critic of the Chinese Communist Party whose detention sparked an international outcry – said he was “very happy” about his new position at the Berlin University of the Arts.

“I hope to be able to contribute something important in the future,” Mr Ai said, adding however it was “not clear” when he would be able to leave China and go to Berlin.

The avant-garde artist, whose work was recently on display at London’s Tate Modern gallery, was detained in April during a major government crackdown on dissidents in China.

The Berlin university offered