The US State Department announced on Monday (February 23) that it will collaborate with the Department of Education to enhance national security by utilizing foreign funding data regarding American universities collected by the department.
In a press release issued on Monday, the US State Department announced that the Department of Education will provide crucial support for the Trump administration in implementing Section 117 of the Higher Education Act of 1965. This new interagency collaboration between the two departments aims to improve the accuracy and transparency of reporting by American universities on foreign gifts and contracts, thereby bolstering national security.
According to the press release, this initiative follows an executive order signed by President Trump in April last year titled “Transparency Regarding Foreign Influence at American Universities,” which called for enhanced interdepartmental cooperation to safeguard American students and research from foreign exploitation.
The collaboration mechanism is established based on an interdepartmental cooperation agreement, leveraging the State Department’s expertise in national security and academic admission of foreign nationals. National security experts and the public in the US can easily utilize the data collected under Section 117 to ensure the State Department can decisively and proactively address potential threats and protect key interests.
Section 117 of the Higher Education Act mandates that American universities disclose donations and contracts from foreign sources totaling $250,000 or more in a calendar year.
Sarah Rogers, the Deputy Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy at the US State Department, stated in the press release, “President Trump has made it clear that transparency is paramount regarding foreign funding in American higher education. This collaboration provides the State Department with additional tools and resources to fulfill this commitment while upholding the integrity of our academic institutions. We look forward to effectively utilizing these new authorities to enhance research security and national security.”
President Trump stated in the executive order signed last April that this policy was aimed at “ending secrecy related to foreign funding in American educational institutions.”
In 2019, the US Senate Investigative Subcommittee released a report documenting the influence of China’s Communist Party on the US education system, sparking a reassessment of funding disclosure rules.
The Department of Education stated in a release that in 2025, American universities disclosed a total of 8,300 transactions amounting to $5.2 billion, encompassing funding provided by governments, private enterprises, and individuals.
The statement indicated that the largest foreign source of funding last year was Qatar, with $1.1 billion, followed by the UK with $633 million, and China ranking third with $528 million.
(Reuters contributed to this article)