THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES OF SCIENCES, ENGINEERING, AND MEDICINE
Policy and Global Affairs
U.S. Science and Innovation Policy
Committee on Confucius Institutes at U.S. Institutions of Higher Learning
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Congressional Briefing
Tuesday, June 27, 2023 – 3:30 p.m.
via Zoom
on
Foreign-Funded Language and Culture Institutes at U.S. Institutions of Higher Education:
Practices to Assess and Mitigate Risk
Regardless of the sponsoring nation, foreign-funded language and culture institutes may pose risks for U.S. host institutions regarding academic freedom, freedom of expression, governance, and national security. This is particularly true if the values of the sponsoring nation do not align with the democratic values held in the United States and if the sponsoring nation is suspected of engaging in activities adversely affecting human rights, academic freedom, freedom of expression, association, dissent, and U.S. national security.
In response to a provision in the P.L. 116-283, the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, this new report, explores the role of foreign-funded institutes at U.S. institutions of higher education, describing characteristics and features of such institutes; determining characteristics and features of foreign-funded institutes at U.S. institutions of higher education that could be flags for institutions to engage in further deliberation and vetting prior to entering into a partnership; identifying implementable practices for U.S. institutions of higher education to ensure appropriate operations; and continuing exploration of what role the sensitivity of the research conducted on campus should play in determining which foreign-funded partnerships are appropriate. The report recommends actions that U.S. colleges and universities can take to minimize risks associated with hosting foreign-funded language and culture institutions, such as a China’s Confucius Institutes, on or near campus and protect academic freedom and national security.
This briefing was for members of Congress and congressional staff only. The report was publicly released on June 27, 2023 and can be found, in its entirety, on the Web site of the National Academies Press.