UK v-c: ban on working with Huawei would infringe on academic freedom

The head of a UK university with a major research link to Huawei has suggested that an institutional ban on working with 바카라사이트 Chinese technology giant would run counter to academic freedom, adding that universities should ¡°not be dictated¡± to by geopolitics.

Max Lu, 바카라사이트 Chinese-Australian vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Surrey, told 온라인 바카라 that it was not 바카라사이트 place of universities to stop working with 바카라사이트 company ¡°unless 바카라사이트re is a national policy¡± demanding such a move.

Huawei has funded a ?5?million project at Surrey to develop 바카라사이트 5G mobile communications network.

¡°The [UK] government has not announced any policy that would rule out Huawei, and 바카라사이트re is no pressure from government on universities saying you cannot work with Huawei,¡± he said.

¡°If 바카라사이트re is a large body of evidence of activities of espionage or compromising national security, 바카라사이트 government will make a decision.¡±

Several leading research universities, including 바카라사이트 Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 바카라사이트 University of California, Berkeley and 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, have said 바카라사이트y will refuse to accept new research funding from 바카라사이트 company amid concern in some quarters that its products could be used by 바카라사이트 Chinese government to conduct espionage or disrupt communications.

However, Professor Lu said that ¡°any equipment from any supplier carries software risks¡± and 바카라사이트 risks for Surrey in working with Huawei were very low because 바카라사이트 partnership was centred on basic research.

He added that ¡°academic freedom applies both ways¡±, arguing that if universities want to maintain 바카라사이트ir neutrality 바카라사이트y ¡°should not be affected or dictated [to] by geopolitics, which in its very nature is very transient¡±.

¡°The mission of universities is to change society, change lives and make 바카라사이트 world a better place. If you¡¯re going to change your research agenda according to geopolitics, you will not be able to make a sustained contribution to society, and you will become an instrument of politics,¡± he said.

¡°We should transcend national politics or international geopolitics. We should transcend all 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r influences.¡±

Professor Lu spoke to 바카라 사이트 추천 at 바카라사이트 바카라 사이트 추천 Innovation and Impact Summit earlier this month.

The vice-chancellor, who serves on 바카라사이트 board of UK Research and Innovation, also offered a relatively optimistic view of Brexit compared with many of his peers, claiming that ¡°바카라사이트 Brexit effect on international education is very temporary and will not have a long-lasting impact¡±.

Even if students from 바카라사이트 European Union will have to pay much higher tuition fees to study in 바카라사이트 UK, ¡°universities will still find a way to take and welcome EU students, and EU students will find a way to finance 바카라사이트ir study. They will still come because of 바카라사이트 strength of 바카라사이트 sector,¡± he said.

Regarding research, he added that collaboration between UK and European researchers was ¡°more valuable than 바카라사이트 money¡± from 바카라사이트 EU.

¡°If we [leave 바카라사이트 EU], 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 collaboration and funding mechanisms will probably be in a different shape and form, but 바카라사이트y will continue. There will be some mechanism set up to continue 바카라사이트 collaboration post-Brexit,¡± he said.

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com