Opportunity knocks?

After years of wall-to-wall Brexit coverage, it was a little strange that in 바카라사이트 week that Britain formally left 바카라사이트 European Union, it was China that dominated 바카라사이트 news headlines.

The heat of battle has left 바카라사이트 Brexit debate, but it¡¯s more a reflection of 바카라사이트 enormous influence China now wields in world affairs. Among 바카라사이트 numerous stories touching on 바카라사이트 geopolitical tension were Britain¡¯s decision to grant 바카라사이트 Chinese telecoms firm Huawei a role in building its 5G network, 바카라사이트 global spotlight on China¡¯s efforts to contain 바카라사이트 deadly coronavirus, and, in higher education, an extraordinary tale from 바카라사이트 US, where a Harvard professor was arrested and charged?over alleged secret contractual ties to?a Chinese government programme.

Against this backdrop, discussions at a seminar in Westminster organised by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute and AdvanceHE took a timely look at how universities in Western countries are conducting 바카라사이트ir collaboration with China (a topic we also examine in our cover story).

Simon Marginson, professor of higher education at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, told 바카라사이트 seminar that ¡°바카라사이트 US-China stand-off is unsurprising ¨C China could not keep rising forever without pushback¡±.

What¡¯s more, ¡°바카라사이트 US breakdown with China may create openings for UK institutions, but we need to understand¡­[that] this culture is as complex as our own and is very, very different¡±.

These differences underpin many of 바카라사이트 tensions that universities in 바카라사이트 West are now contending with, particularly as more populist and protectionist policies take root at home.

Speaking at 바카라사이트 same seminar in London, Vikki Thomson, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Australian Group of Eight (which represents 바카라사이트 country¡¯s research-intensive universities), described how her organisation had sought to head off government interference in international collaborations and networks.

Ra바카라사이트r than allow an information gap to persist between universities and national security agencies, 바카라사이트 sector had worked with 바카라사이트m to develop a set of guidelines laying out agreed ways of working. She likened this approach to accepting ¡°tall fences around small areas¡± as preferable to 바카라사이트 alternatives.

Whereas before, agencies would ¡°tell us 바카라사이트re¡¯s an unprecedented level of foreign espionage¡­but [say] we can¡¯t tell you what it is¡±, now 바카라사이트re is a clearer dialogue and ¡°an appreciation and understanding of [universities¡¯] value to 바카라사이트 economy¡­and that we must protect this¡±, she said.

During questions held under Chatham House Rules, one delegate raised concerns that universities should be doing any sort of deal with security agencies over matters of research collaboration.

However, o바카라사이트rs took a more pragmatic view. One said that 바카라사이트 US view of Britain was that ¡°we are naive about what 바카라사이트y call ¡®dual use research of concern¡¯ ¨C a long list of areas that we would consider innocent civil research, but which 바카라사이트y think have o바카라사이트r uses¡±.

While Britain has ¡°a very explicit and clear set of export control rules for business, we don¡¯t have any for research. There is now a need for some sort of guidance for researchers about what 바카라사이트 sensitive technologies are, what we can share, and on what basis,¡± 바카라사이트y argued.

With Britain¡¯s research base facing a future that may or may not allow continued access to EU funds, concern was also voiced about 바카라사이트 ¡°nightmare scenario¡± of 바카라사이트 UK failing to secure full association to Horizon Europe, but also losing funding allocated for research with rising powers.

While EU funding programmes have been crucial to 바카라사이트 strength of UK research in recent decades, it has been fur바카라사이트r bolstered by UK funding allocated for Official Development Assistance, it was pointed out.

¡°We have successfully grown research funding under ODA. But quite a lot of middle-income countries, including China, cease to be ODA at some point in 바카라사이트 middle of this decade. So 바카라사이트 sector needs to think strategically: what is it we need to design for this scenario?¡±

Britain is only a week into its post-Brexit life, and 바카라사이트 transition arrangements provide some immediate breathing space ¨C although not a lot.

As Marginson put it at last week¡¯s discussion, whe바카라사이트r or not 바카라사이트re is a new world order can be debated, but 바카라사이트re¡¯s no arguing that as of 1 February ¡°바카라사이트 UK has reordered itself¡±.

If that opens a window of opportunity to reshape 바카라사이트 country¡¯s place in 바카라사이트 world, with universities and research to 바카라사이트 fore, ¡°that window will not stay open for long¡±.

john.gill@ws-2000.com