WIKIMEDIA, PHOBOPHILE
A new report from the Canadian Association of University Teachers concludes that collaborations between industry and universities “place unacceptable limits on academic freedom and sacrifice fundamental academic principles,” according to a press release. The group reviewed 12 pacts between companies, the government, and Canadian universities and found that the majority violate the schools' principles on academic integrity.
For instance, the report concludes that in a $9 million agreement between the drug maker Pfizer, the University of British Columbia (UBC), and the British Columbia Cancer Agency (BCCA), the company has power over research funds and planning. Representing one-third of the program's research committee, Pfizer alone can veto any decision. “The question of institutional autonomy is clear: by ...
