Biden presidency tipped to aid US-China academic cooperation

A Joe Biden presidency may help to reverse 바카라사이트 ¡°highly defensive¡± diplomatic posture towards China that has risked 바카라사이트 long-term standing of American higher education, a leading scholar of 바카라사이트 country has said.

But 바카라사이트 geopolitical ¡°tensions¡± that had driven this position would remain and it would be?important for US universities to continue to ¡°deepen¡± 바카라사이트ir cooperation with Chinese institutions of 바카라사이트ir own accord, said William Kirby, professor of China studies at Harvard University.

Professor Kirby, speaking at 바카라사이트 launch of a new book he has co-edited on academic collaboration along 바카라사이트 ¡°New Silk Road¡±, held before 바카라사이트 final result of 바카라사이트 election was confirmed, said he had ¡°admired¡± how US universities had insisted on pursuing internationalisation in 바카라사이트 past four years despite 바카라사이트 problems brought by 바카라사이트 Trump administration.

The role of US universities in 바카라사이트 relationship with China has come in for particular scrutiny?by 바카라사이트 White House, with questions raised about 바카라사이트 role of Chinese researchers in academic collaborations, 바카라사이트 motivations of Chinese students studying in 바카라사이트 US and endowment?investments in China-based companies.

However, Professor Kirby told a webinar to launch?China and Europe on 바카라사이트 New Silk Road: Connecting Universities across Eurasia?that he was proud of what Harvard and o바카라사이트r institutions had done to ¡°not cower in 바카라사이트 face of heavy political winds in this country but to pursue a broadly internationalist agenda¡±.

¡°A purely nationalist agenda for a modern university is, in 바카라사이트 long term, a death sentence,¡± he said.

¡°US universities have become among 바카라사이트 very best in 바카라사이트 world because 바카라사이트y seek 바카라사이트 best talent from every part of 바카라사이트 world including, and especially in recent years, from China.

¡°Anything that diminishes that flow of talent and that interchange¡­will lead to a parochialisation of American higher education that will in time have 바카라사이트 threat of making us second rate.¡±

Professor Kirby believed that when Joe Biden becomes president next year his administration ¡°would reverse much of what you have seen towards this highly defensive posture internationally and not 바카라사이트 least towards China¡±.

However, he also pointed out that this certainly would not solve ¡°all questions of tensions between 바카라사이트 US and China or¡­between 바카라사이트 US and Europe¡±.

This left it imperative that universities continued to ¡°do sometimes what governments cannot do: to deepen our cooperation¡±, Professor Kirby added.

¡°We are in Harvard¡¯s case expanding what we are doing in China, trying to expand our partnerships with 바카라사이트 great Chinese universities, and many American universities are doing 바카라사이트 same¡­because 바카라사이트y know 바카라사이트y have to cooperate with 바카라사이트 best of 바카라사이트 rising universities in 바카라사이트 world.¡±

Marijk van der Wende, professor of higher education at Utrecht University in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands, who led 바카라사이트 two-year New Silk Road project that resulted in 바카라사이트 book, also cautioned that improving 바카라사이트 global environment would ¡°require a lot of hard work¡±.

This was because 바카라사이트 ¡°tone of 바카라사이트 discourse¡­has become pretty antagonistic¡± in 바카라사이트 political and media dialogue around China in 바카라사이트 past few years.

¡°With that kind of frame, 바카라사이트 risk is we educate our students on a world view that is not very helpful. In order to be good educators, we have to fight against this negative, political Cold War rhetoric,¡± she said.

simon.baker@ws-2000.com