- The Department of War has notified 30 U.S. academic institutions to conduct security audits of flagged research partners
- The directive aims to prevent adversaries from exploiting federally funded research data and technologies
- The institutions must comply with the audit to keep their eligibility for federal funding
The Department of War announced Monday that it has ordered 30 U.S. academic institutions to launch immediate reviews of their academic, financial and research partnerships with foreign entities flagged as national security concerns.
“The Department of War has zero tolerance for academic partnerships that compromise our national security,” said Emil Michael, under secretary of war for research and engineering and recipient of the 2026 Wash100 award. “Institutions that receive funding from American taxpayers must uphold the highest standards of research security, and these mandated audits will ensure accountability across the board.”
What Is the Objective of the Research Security Audits?
The directive targets relationships with organizations named under Section 1286 of the fiscal year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act, a provision covering foreign institutions engaged in problematic technology transfer, along with groups linked to Confucius Institutes operating under new names. The Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering is leading the initiative, which aims to shield federally funded research from unauthorized technology transfer, intellectual property theft and exploitation by adversarial actors.
The DOW said the audit initiative will strengthen their ability to identify emerging risks and respond to shifting tactics used by adversarial actors, while reinforcing U.S. standing as a leader in research and innovation. The effort is being carried out in coordination with congressional partners, including the House and Senate Armed Services Committees, the House and Senate Appropriations Committees and the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party as part of a broader push to build a research environment resistant to foreign exploitation.
What Are the Responsibilities of the U.S. Universities in the Directive?
Universities that received the notifications are required to conduct full audits of their flagged foreign partnerships, evaluate how much sensitive or export-controlled research may have been exposed and put mitigation measures in place. This includes cutting ties with problematic collaborators where necessary. The department has set an Aug. 31, 2026 deadline for institutions to submit their findings and corrective actions. The audits could impact their eligibility to secure federal financial support for their research programs.
