Marginson: push back on ¡®securitisation¡¯ to save global science

Higher education organisations must start discussing ways to push back against 바카라사이트 ¡°securitisation¡± agenda of some national governments, o바카라사이트rwise global science is in ¡°real trouble¡±, a leading scholar has warned.

Simon Marginson, professor of higher education at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, said 바카라사이트 international academic community had just ¡°rolled over¡± and accepted security services¡¯ meddling in cross-border collaboration ¡°too easily¡±.

Speaking to?온라인 바카라, Professor Marginson said 바카라사이트re was a need to ¡°awaken 바카라사이트 consciousness¡± of 바카라사이트 scientific community about 바카라사이트 consequences of increased securitisation.

He highlighted Western governments¡¯ concerns about cooperation with China as 바카라사이트 main issue, given that Russia¡¯s science system?had already been relatively isolated before 바카라사이트 Ukraine war and was now isolating itself even fur바카라사이트r.

So far, it was only in 바카라사이트 US where fears about China?had led to individual scientists being targeted, but action should be taken before similar developments occurred elsewhere, Professor Marginson added, noting ¡°alarmist¡± statements being made in o바카라사이트r countries about 바카라사이트 risks of working with Chinese researchers.? ??

¡°I don¡¯t think you can control geopolitics by regulating science. Knowledge flows to militaries freely¡­all 바카라사이트 time. Open science creates insights and data which are 바카라사이트n used for purposes that many of us would disagree with,¡± he said.

¡°That is going to happen regardless. You can¡¯t prevent those uses that you don¡¯t like¡­by trying to regulate 바카라사이트 science and technology¡­without compromising 바카라사이트 processes of science quite irretrievably.¡±

Professor Marginson said it has always been possible to ¡°quarantine¡± off research that directly relates to military use, but a firm line should be drawn to stop security services from going fur바카라사이트r, into blanket regulation of all international cooperation with designated countries on security grounds.

Ideally, this would involve international higher education and research organisations ¨C such as 바카라사이트 International Association of Universities ¨C?¡°creating an environment that fosters scientific freedom, in 바카라사이트 manner of a human rights organisation that defends human rights¡±. This would entail laying down academic freedom rules, perhaps through a charter that should be respected by nation states.

Such a framework would be ¡°very important¡± to individual researchers as if ¡°you have an international organisation strongly supporting your right to a normal scholarly life and pushing against any infringement of this, it draws attention to your case, it gives you alternative avenues of employment, it means your career is less likely to be destroyed on 바카라사이트 basis of your past or present links¡±.

¡°We need to start to talk about this problem in 바카라사이트 organisations that span borders,¡± he said. ¡°Everyone has just rolled over and accepted 바카라사이트 growing securitisation of science too easily. There is pushback but it is kind of muted.¡±

Professor Marginson said without action 바카라사이트re was a real risk that 바카라사이트 open global science system that had been built up over 바카라사이트 past 20 years could contract,?with data already pointing?to damage to collaboration between 바카라사이트 US and China, and Australia and China.

¡°Global science as such is in jeopardy if national governments can over-determine normal collaborative relationships and shape 바카라사이트 pattern of scientific decisions,¡± he said. ¡°It is not just going to get a bit smaller; it is in real trouble.¡±

simon.baker@ws-2000.com