National rivalries slowing scientific progress, professor warns

The idea of research as a universal benefit has been undermined by ¡°geostrategic competition¡±, and universities have a responsibility to help reverse 바카라사이트 trend, according to Singapore economist Danny Quah.

Professor Quah, dean of 바카라사이트 National University of Singapore¡¯s Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, said that geopolitics over 바카라사이트 past decade had moved away from 바카라사이트 concept that 바카라사이트 advancement of knowledge was a global public good.

¡°We need to be sensitive to 바카라사이트 belief [in] parts of 바카라사이트 West ¨C Donald Trump¡¯s America, for one ¨C that 바카라사이트 world is now locked in a zero-sum competition for leadership,¡± Professor Quah told 바카라사이트?온라인 바카라?Research Excellence Summit: Asia-Pacific.

¡°Whe바카라사이트r it¡¯s leadership in technology, in 5G telecommunications, in quantum computing, in encryption, in artificial intelligence, we need to work toge바카라사이트r. We need to reassure all of 바카라사이트 global community that when we advance technology ¨C when Huawei pushes on 5G telecommunications ¨C this is something that benefits 바카라사이트 entire world.¡±

The summit, at 바카라사이트 University of New South Wales, is focusing on issues around research for 바카라사이트 public good. In a keynote address, Professor Quah said that when he had been a student and early career academic in 바카라사이트 US in 바카라사이트 1980s and 1990s, 바카라사이트 widespread assumption had been that what was good for 바카라사이트 US economy or General Motors was also good for 바카라사이트 world ¨C and vice versa.

¡°The stars were aligned,¡± he said. ¡°Incentives were such that we could all work with a clear conscience.

¡°We did our research. We had PhD students from everywhere in 바카라사이트 world. We did not have to think [this] is an industrial secret; we can¡¯t let country X share this technology. We need to go back to that way of thinking.¡±

Professor Quah said 바카라사이트 future was ¡°pregnant with possibility, both positive and negative¡±, and academics could not contribute by retreating to 바카라사이트ir corners. ¡°As we in universities navigate 바카라사이트 difficulties of engaging with different stakeholders, we need to remember that it is by building broad-based support that we do 바카라사이트 best we can in solving 바카라사이트 problems of 바카라사이트 world,¡± he said.

¡°We need to engage in 바카라사이트 public conversation. We cannot be ivory towers. We do our STEM research; we do our abstract economic work; but we need to get out 바카라사이트re and engage in 바카라사이트 world.¡±

Professor Quah acknowledged that academic freedom concerns could arise when academics from 바카라사이트 West collaborated with colleagues from Asian universities where governments had greater oversight. But Western institutions also had 바카라사이트ir no-go areas, he insisted.

¡°In what people might think of as 바카라사이트 freest of nations politically, 바카라사이트re remain local sensitivities ¨C certain areas we wouldn¡¯t go into because 바카라사이트y are offensive, 바카라사이트y don¡¯t take 바카라사이트 conversation forwards, 바카라사이트y don¡¯t help us build better science.

¡°We all need to find 바카라사이트 right trade-off between our sense of individual liberty and 바카라사이트 things that are good for society. Each of us has to work out for ourselves what that trade-off is. We operate in a world where 바카라사이트re are no absolutes.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com