Group of Eight Universities Back Crackdown on Foreign Influence in the Sector

Australia’s leading research universities have endorsed proposed changes to federal laws governing foreign agreements, driven by concerns about state-sponsored foreign interference. This support follows revelations of thousands of research papers co-authored with institutions tied to the Chinese Communist Party and its military. The federal government’s Foreign Arrangements Scheme, established in 2020, aims to ensure university and state entity agreements align with Australian foreign policy.

• Australia’s top research universities support an overhaul of federal laws on foreign agreements.
• The move is a response to concerns over state-sponsored foreign interference.
• Over 6,500 research papers were produced through partnerships with institutions linked to the Chinese Communist party and its military.
• Three Australian universities continued collaborations with Iranian counterparts on UAV technology despite government warnings.
• The Foreign Arrangements Scheme was introduced in 2020 to ensure foreign agreements do not conflict with Australian foreign policy.