Harvard’s Research Collaborations with Chinese Institutions Under Scrutiny

Harvard University faces allegations of inadequate safeguards in its research collaborations with Chinese institutions, including universities connected to China’s military. This report originates from the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party.

Research Collaborations

The report, reviewed by Fox News Digital, indicates that researchers from the New England Ivy League school co-authored over 140 publications with Chinese university affiliates. These universities belong to a group identified by the Pentagon as central to China’s military modernization efforts. The committee contends Harvard’s research security approach allows collaborations that might aid China’s technological and military advancements.

Financial Ties

Harvard reportedly received over $600 million from China as part of the federal Section 117 foreign-gift disclosure system. This amount exceeds that of any other U.S. university. The Education Department dashboard cited in the report highlights the need for strict oversight of Harvard’s research partnerships and foreign-funding disclosures.

“The stakes extend far beyond Harvard,” U.S. officials warn about China’s use of academic partnerships to advance strategic capabilities.

Specific Cases Highlighted

The report cites a 2023 paper on bio-inspired soft robots, co-authored by a Harvard-affiliated researcher and Beihang University, one of the Chinese institutions listed on the U.S. Commerce Department’s Entity List since 2001. The committee suggests potential military applications of the research, which Harvard’s compliance office characterized as nonmilitary.

Another 2023 study involving magnetic materials was co-authored by a Harvard researcher and China’s National University of Defense Technology, a restricted institution. This study received partial support from the U.S. Army Research Office.

Executive Education Program

Harvard’s executive education program with China’s National Healthcare Security Administration is also under examination. The program reports show affiliations with the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC), sanctioned by the Treasury Department in 2020 for human-rights abuses. The committee notes unclear attendance records and advance participation knowledge by Harvard, yet no further action was taken.

Allegations and Recommendations

The committee criticizes Harvard’s research-security approach, focused mainly on legal compliance, overlooking broader national-security risks. Testimony from a Harvard research official highlights a case-by-case evaluation of research collaborations, which the committee finds inadequate for projects potentially aiding military applications.

Further allegations target Harvard Global Research and Support Services for possibly bypassing federal foreign-gift reporting requirements. The committee recommends Harvard prohibit research relationships with entities on U.S. restricted lists and centralize research-security oversight. They also urge Congress to strengthen foreign-funding disclosure requirements for universities.