The Department of Defence has mandated that 30 universities review research partnerships with foreign entities or face the loss of future federal funding.
Key facts
- •The Pentagon issued the order to 30 unnamed US universities on Monday.
- •Universities must report their findings and mitigation plans by August 31.
- •The review covers relationships with foreign entities of concern, including those in China, Russia, and Iran.
- •The audits focus on potential exposure of sensitive or export-controlled research.
- •The mandate includes collaborations linked to the 2019 National Defence Authorisation Act and rebranded Confucius Institutes.
The US Department of Defence has directed 30 universities to conduct comprehensive audits of their foreign research collaborations. Institutions must review academic, financial, and research relationships with entities of concern, including those in China, Russia, and Iran, to ensure that sensitive or export-controlled research has not been compromised.
Audit requirements and deadlines
The Pentagon requires these universities to report their findings and any proposed mitigation measures, such as ending problematic partnerships, by August 31. This provides the institutions with a two-week window to complete the reviews. Failure to comply with these directives could result in the universities becoming ineligible for future federal funding.
Scope of the review
The audits specifically target collaborations with institutions listed under Section 1286 of the 2019 National Defence Authorisation Act. Additionally, the department has requested reviews of organizations associated with what it described as “rebranded Confucius Institutes.” The Pentagon has not publicly identified the specific universities involved or specified the exact number of notifications related to any single country.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by South China Morning Post.
