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| 本文作者： 張帥 | 2018-07-23 11:16 |
雷鋒網7月20日消息，針對美國共和黨參議員的無端指責，一向快人快語的華為輪值總裁、副董事長徐直軍回應的也很直接，“我認為這些行為顯示了他們對科學的無知。”
據了解，事件起源于美國共和黨參議員盧比奧（Marco Rubio）在社交媒體推特上的言論，他表示：“如果美國不搞倒中興，就永遠搞不倒像華為這樣規模更大的公司。”
相關報道顯示，更早在當地時間的6月19日，盧比奧牽頭的26名國會跨黨派議員致信給教育部長德沃斯，稱：華為與數十所美國高校的研究合作項目，對美國家安全構成了威脅，要求教育部調查“華為創新研究計劃”和其他項目的合作情況。
華為創新研究計劃前身是華為于1999年設立的“華為高校基金”。華為公司每年定期向全球公開發布研究資助方向，持續不斷將ICT（信息通信技術）領域前沿技術需求、難題和想法傳遞給學術界。學術界伙伴根據其研究方向、擅長領域選擇研究課題，華為給予資助和支持。
截至2016年底，該計劃累計已覆蓋全球20多個國家的300多所高校，在全球范圍內資助超過1200個創新研究項目，其中亞太區覆蓋澳大利亞、韓國、日本和新加坡等國；2位諾貝爾獲得者、100多位IEEE和ACM院士以及全球數千名專家學者參與其中。
該議員的無端指責顯然很是讓華為惱火，在此前，美國多次調查華為，質疑其影響美國國家安全，華為也是淡然處之，徐直軍曾表示，“改變不了的不如放下”，但這次涉及到基礎科學研究，這位從事過基礎科學研究的工學博士卻沒有放下，而是站出來直接回應，“我并不想進行人身攻擊。相反，我只是希望強調學術自由的重要性”。
以下為中英文原文：
美國國會對華為與大學合作項目的質疑是錯誤的
華為資助美國大學進行基礎研究，研究成果將造福大眾，不會對美國構成威脅。
徐直軍
不久前，幾名美國國會議員嚴厲地批評了華為，還要求美國教育部長調查華為與美國大學的基礎科研合作項目是否會對美國國家安全構成威脅。我認為這些行為顯示了他們對科學的無知。最近在接受媒體采訪時，我提到這些批評是“無知的”。
我并不想進行人身攻擊。相反，我只是希望強調學術自由的重要性。學術自由是現代大學的基本屬性，是一切科技進步的基石，有助于培養下一代科研人才。
學術自由是高等教育的基石。正是由于美國大學能保持學術自由，不受政治和外部因素干擾，才吸納了全球最優秀的人才到美國學習和研究，成就了美國的全球技術領導者地位。
我是一位從事過基礎研究的工學博士。根據美國國家科學基金會的定義，“基礎研究”是指“致力于獲取新知識或理念，但不考慮具體流程或產品應用的活動”。
企業的研發活動主要聚焦商業應用，而大學則關注數學、算法、材料科學等不太可能創造收益的應用。即使某個研究項目最終會產生回報，從理論研究到商業化可能需要花費數十年時間。
大學與企業的合作能夠有效縮短這個過程。企業、學術界和研究機構之間的知識和資源交換（也稱“知識轉移”）已經成為推動科技進步的關鍵動力。
然而，過去十年間，美國聯邦政府向大學研究項目提供的資金在持續下降，如今占大學總研究資金的比例低于50%。
余下的大部分資金來自華為等企業提供的贊助。華為向美國大學提供的研究資金相對有限，去年約為1,000萬美元。但我們提供的支持正是大學所需要的，包括資金、場地和實驗設備等支持。同時，我們也為在校研究生、大學生們創造了豐富的培訓和實踐機會。在提供這些支持的時候，我們并不期望能獲得直接商業回報。
華為資助美國大學進行基礎研究，研究成果將造福大眾，并不會像外界批評所說的那樣會對美國構成威脅。
我們與大學的研究成果通過教授、博士和研究生們的論文形式公開發布。
2017年，華為在研發領域投入138億美元，過去十年華為的全球研發總投入超過600億美元。華為在全球各國已經有近8萬件專利獲得授權，其中在美國授權專利近一萬件，許多還是電信業的基本專利，這對數字經濟發展也是一個貢獻。
任何基礎研究項目要造福社會是一個艱辛而且漫長的過程，需要大學與企業緊密合作，需要無數科學家、工程師們長期艱苦奮斗，他們的努力和貢獻應該受到尊重，而不是肆意指責。
一個開放的政治領袖，應該要致力于維護美國大學的學術自由，才能推動美國的科技進步。同時，政治領袖要像全球領先科學家一樣具備深度洞察力、好奇心和實事求是精神。
Congress is wrong to question Huawei’s academic partnerships
The fruits of the research we fund are a public good not a threat to America
Eric Xu
Jul 19, 2018
Recently my company Huawei was strongly criticised by several members of the US Congress. They asked the US secretary of education to investigate whether our co-operation with US universities on basic scientific research might threaten US national security. I believe this criticism displays an ignorance of how contemporary science and innovation work and I recently described it as “ ill-informed” in a media interview.
I did not mean this as a personal attack. Rather I was seeking to highlight the importance of academic freedom as an essential feature of modern universities, one that underpins all technological development and helps cultivate the next generation of scientific talent.
Academic freedom is the cornerstone of higher learning. This freedom from political and other interference allows the US consistently to attract the world’s brightest minds to study and conduct research within its borders. It also supports the US’s continued status as a global technology leader.
I hold a doctorate in engineering and have experience in basic research, which the National Science Foundation defines as “study directed toward greater knowledge or understanding...without specific applications toward processes or products”.
While corporate research and development tends to focus on commercial outcomes, universities devote time to mathematics, algorithms, material science and other applications that might never make money. Even if the research pays off eventually, closing the gap between a theory and a commercial product can take decades.
Collaboration between universities and businesses can accelerate this process. The exchange of knowledge and resources among the private sector, academia, and research institutes, known as knowledge transfer, has become a vital driver of scientific and technological progress.
But US federal funding for higher education research has fallen steadily over the past decade. Today it represents less than 50 per cent of total American university research funding.
Corporate sponsorship from companies such as Huawei provides much of the rest. The amount of money we allocate for research at US universities is relatively modest — approximately $10m last year. But it provides needed support in the form of funding, facilities, and laboratory equipment. Our collaboration with universities gives college and postgraduate students the chance to receive training and hands-on experience. We provide this support with no expectation of direct commercial return.
Contrary to what our critics allege, the fruits of this research constitute a public good rather than a threat to America.
The findings made possible through our university partnerships are published and disseminated worldwide through dissertations and papers by professors, PhDs, and postgraduate students.
Like other corporate supporters of university research — including US businesses that support Chinese universities — Huawei does not gain exclusive ownership of, or access to, the findings of the research we support and we do not dictate what is published.
Science is borderless, and we hope that the results of our partnerships will reach as many people as possible.
Like any technology company, Huawei benefits from the general advancement of science and technology worldwide. Ultimately, however, our ability to provide competitive products is a result of our own long-term investment in R&D.
Last year, Huawei invested $13.8 billion in research and development globally, bringing our total investment over the past decade to more than $60 billion. Huawei has been granted nearly 80,000 patents worldwide, including 10,000 patents in the US. Many of these are essential patents vital to the telecommunications industry. As such, they represent our modest contribution to the development of the digital economy.
Before any basic research can deliver tangible benefits to society, universities and businesses must set off together on a long and sometimes arduous journey. This requires unstinting work by countless scientists and engineers. Such people deserve respect, not groundless accusations from sceptical politicians, for their efforts.
Open-minded political leaders should work to ensure that US universities continue to enjoy the academic freedom that drives American progress in science and technology. Ideally, they will bring to that task the same depth of understanding, curiosity, and spirit of fact-finding inquiry displayed by the world’s leading scientists.
The writer currently holds the rotating chairmanship of Huawei.
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