Foreign influence is a complex and multifaceted concept, and there are different ways it can manifest. At a high level, foreign influence refers to efforts by foreign governments, organizations, or individuals to sway or impact U.S. policies, decisions, or activities to serve their interests. This can be done through a range of illicit tactics, such as attempts to illegally acquire intellectual property, manipulate research data, or coerce organizational or institutional initiatives to serve their interests. Foreign influence can be affected by, but is not limited to, the following factors:
- Export Control Compliance
- International Researchers on Campus
- Federal Regulations
- International Travel
- Foreign Gifts and Contracts
- Outside Activity and Financial Interest Disclosure
- Global Engagement
- Foreign Conflicts of Interest
- Foreign Conflicts of Commitment
- Foreign Talent Programs
- International Cultural Agreements
What is Undue Foreign Influence in Higher Education?
Foreign influence in higher education refers to actions by foreign entities, governments, or individuals that aim to obtain a benefit or advantage not intended for them, potentially through illicit means. Higher education institutions have a responsibility to identify and manage these risks to ensure that their research and academic activities are conducted with transparency and by legal and ethical standards. To this end, many institutions establish policies and procedures for reporting and managing foreign influence. Foreign influence can pose a threat to the integrity of academic research, and universities need to remain vigilant to ensure that their work remains free from external manipulation.
Additional Information
Michigan Tech
Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering
Department of Defense
- DoD Policy: Countering Unwanted Foreign Influence in Department-Funded Research at
Institutions of Higher Education
- Beginning August 2024, no award will be made where a "covered individual" is part of a foreign talent program (as defined in the CHIPS and Science Act). Page 10 contains a table titled "Decision Matrix to Inform Fundamental Research Proposal Mitigation Decisions Factors for Assessing a Covered Individuals Associations, Affiliations, Collaborations, Funding, and the Policies of the Proposing Institution that Employs the Covered Individual".
In The News
University of Michigan faces federal investigation after arrest of 2 Chinese scientists
July 15, 2025 - CNN
"The University of Michigan is under federal scrutiny after two Chinese scientists linked to the school were separately charged with smuggling biological materials into the United States."
INVESTIGATION: Uncovering Chinese Academic Espionage at Stanford
May 7, 2025 - The Stanford Review
"Under the guidance of experts familiar with espionage tactics, Anna contacted authorities. Their investigation revealed that Charles Chen had no affiliation with Stanford. Instead, he had posed as a Stanford student for years, slightly altering his name and persona online, targeting multiple students, nearly all of them women researching China-related topics."
Delaware university failed to disclose professor’s ties to Chinese government while accepting federal research funds
December 19, 2024 - The Lion
"The University of Delaware (UD) reached a settlement agreement with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) after allegedly failing to disclose a professor’s ties to the Chinese government in violation of federal law."
Exclusive: US National Science Foundation reveals first details on foreign-influence investigations
July 7, 2020 — Nature
"The funding agency has taken action in 16-20 cases where foreign ties were not properly reported."
Safeguarding Research on Campuses Against Foreign Threats
March 9, 2020 — Inside Higher Ed
"There's an urgent need for increasing and maintaining good security policies and practices, writes Ted Mitchell (President of the American Council on Education), who recommends some immediate actions to take. ... Sobering warnings have been delivered to the U.S. higher education community over the past several years by national security and law enforcement officials about the threats to campuses from some foreign governments, notably China, seeking to influence, interfere and, in some cases, steal scientific research and intellectual property."