Harvard, MIT among 30 US universities ordered to audit China research ties

The Pentagon has mandated that 30 American universities, including prestigious institutions like Harvard, MIT, and Johns Hopkins, conduct audits of their foreign research relationships. This directive comes as universities push back against the Pentagon's actions, accusing the Department of Defense of implying wrongdoing without presenting public evidence.

An anonymous US official confirmed that Harvard, MIT, and Johns Hopkins had received the notifications. Reports citing another US official indicated that the list of affected institutions includes prominent research universities such as Cornell, Duke, Georgetown, New York University, and several University of California campuses. The South China Morning Post reported that the Pentagon had not responded to multiple requests for the names of the universities, the specific collaborations under scrutiny, or evidence of unauthorized technology transfer or misconduct.

Universities are required to complete comprehensive reviews of their academic, financial, and research partnerships with foreign "entities of concern" by August 31. These reviews must assess whether sensitive or export-controlled research has been compromised. Following the assessment, institutions may need to implement mitigation measures, which could involve terminating existing partnerships.