Top U.S. Universities Shun Cash From Huawei Under Trump Pressure

Top U.S. universities are shunning research money from Huawei amid pressure from Congress and the Trump administration, according to Bloomberg.

Princeton University, Stanford University, Ohio State University and the University of California at Berkeley all say they are cutting or reducing ties to Huawei. The company gave $10.6 million in gifts and contracts to nine U.S. schools for technology and communications programs from 2012 to 2018, according to the Education Department.

“More and more of our universities have cut their ties,“ said Tobin Smith, vice president at the Association of American Universities that represents 62 research institutions. In September, the FBI held “a major summit“ with university presidents in Washington, Smith said.

The university retreats show how pressure surrounding Huawei is quietly affecting research institutions, even as U.S. authorities mount an aggressive public campaign for companies and European allies to avoid doing business with the company. U.S. colleges and universities operate under an ethos of open, worldwide intellectual exchange. They strive to protect academic freedom from government, political and corporate influence and try to resist pressure to rupture research funding and relationships. But in Huawei’s case, some have submitted, albeit reluctantly.