The Department of Defense this Monday ordered 30 universities and academic institutions in the country to carry out immediate audits of their academic, financial and research collaborations with certain foreign entities, especially those related to China. The measure seeks to protect research considered sensitive and prevent possible unauthorized transfers of technology, theft of intellectual property or exploitation of projects financed with US taxpayer money.
Institutions will need to review their ties to entities identified under Section 1286 of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2019, as well as organizations related to former Confucius Institutes that have changed their name or structure.
The Pentagon warned that notified universities will need to evaluate whether sensitive research or research subject to export controls may have been exposed and, where appropriate, establish mitigation measures that could include canceling certain partnerships. The results must be delivered to the Department of Defense no later than August 31, 2026.
Universities must demonstrate that their research is protected
Notified institutions include the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Harvard, Georgetown, Cornell, Duke, Johns Hopkins and New York University, as well as the universities of California at Berkeley, San Diego and Los Angeles (UCLA). The University of Texas at Austin, the University of Southern California and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, among others, also appear.
The government did not publicly detail what specific collaboration led to each institution being included in the review. The audit is part of a broader effort by Washington to reduce the risks associated with academic and technological ties with countries considered adversaries.
The Department of Defense noted that the goal is to anticipate new threats and protect American leadership in innovation. In his statement, Joseph Jewell, Assistant Secretary of War for Science and Technology, maintained that universities are fundamental partners in the agency's research programs and that their investments must be protected from foreign exploitation.
Emil Michael, Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, stated that the Pentagon maintains a “zero tolerance” policy toward academic associations that may compromise national security. The move comes after the Defense Department last year identified 130 academic and research institutions in China, Russia and Iran that it found were linked to the misappropriation of U.S.-funded technology projects.
