From: The International Herald Tribute
Published on the Greek “Kathimerini” newspaper, in 27-08-2006


When the Clemsen University received a 10 billion dollars donation from the German car manufacturer BMW, it gave, in response, to the donators some special privileges.

The donation, the biggest ever given to a university, had as a goal to start a $1.5b plan, which was named by Clemsen as “The research regarding the luxury and sport vehicles and the educational teaching”. And BMW, whose plant is 80km away from the university, had some specific ideas. So, BMW, after asked by the university, made out a list, with what the mechanics should be taught. BMW evaluated the performance of the best students, gave the university a list with the preferred professors and made some plans about the new architectural structure of the university.

With the first student that participated to the so called “International Center for Automotive Research” it was proven that the collaboration between a university and an international company was a good thing.

Criticism and acceptance

This kind of collaborations had been criticized many times in the past. In 1998 the Berkeley University of California, and the pharmaceutics company Novartis, had done a same collaboration, which costed 25 billion dollars, to discover some new medicine. This cooperation was criticized by many students and other people who said that this is against the freedom of this university.

Other collaborations were not that controversial and the participation of automotive companies was accepted. The state university of Ohio, for example, collaborates with many car companies, including General Motors, Ford, Daimler Chrysler, and Honda, about problems regarding the effectiveness of fuels and other projects. For this reason it uses the “Center for Automotive Research”.

But the members of the board of the Clemsen University admit that the collaboration between the university and BMW is very close.

The new pattern

“It’s a new pattern to call up private interests in collaboration” says Robert Jeolas, head of the “Center for Automotive Research” of the Clemsen University. This center is a key to set off the Clemsen University among the 20 best of the US.

The best place to do such collaborations is the state of South Carolina, where the domestic automotive companies have about 31.000 employees, almost the same amount with the textile manufacturing companies.

“It seems that we have a beneficial collaboration, which attracts heavy criticism against the university” says Sheldon Crimsky, of the environment department of the university, who has written many articles about the commercialization of universities.

The vice-president of the Clemsen university, Christian Prchibel, who is competent with research and economical growth, has some arguments: “Even though BMW and Clemsen have totally different goals and totally different cultures , they don’t see only profits but how to strengthen education”. And adds: “This close collaborations is in line with the university and target to the economic growth of the area”.

“Detroit of the South”

The Japanese and German car manufacturers have transformed the Clemsen University area as a Detroit of the South, by making new assembly lanes that make more cars than the three biggest American car manufacturers of the region.

Some details of the collaboration between Clemson University and BMW have been known to the public from a prosecution, done by a businessman from Florida, last year. This businessman, named Clifford Rosen, claims that he had sign an agreement with Clemsen University, to build/make the “Center for Automotive Research”. He also claims that he had agreed to make a state-of-the-art tunnel for car races, in which BMW would help.

Mr. Rosen also says that BMW and some state organizations forced him to resign from this agreement, since BMW used its influence and threatened that all the manufacturing plants would be moved from the area, if the plan did not serve BMW’s needs in the research and education sector.

During the trial, evidence was brought to court that BMW had a very big influence in Clemsen University , regarding the “Center of Automotive Research” and the mechanics department.

Translated by Giannis.


any comments?