Many of the world’s best researchers work at universities in the United States. While they contribute to the US research enterprise, these researchers also often embody hybrid identities: their training, professional activities, and individual and collaborative work cross national, institutional, and disciplinary borders. However, the past several presidential administrations have enacted federal policies driven by concerns over national security and economic competitiveness that have restricted the flow of researchers and research outputs across national borders.

Since 2018, heightened scrutiny, tightened restrictions, and political tensions have deeply affected Chinese and China-connected researchers in particular. US-based scholars from all disciplines face travel restrictions, reduced access to archives and sources, and diminished opportunities for collaboration across national borders. International scholars at US universities working in areas deemed sensitive to national security, such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, biotechnology, and other STEM fields, have encountered particularly steep administrative barriers, including visa delays and denials, complex and shifting grant compliance requirements, tightening export controls, as well as increased scrutiny of funding sources.

The challenges faced by researchers are also challenges for their campuses. Shifting mandates and federal priorities have made it difficult for institutions to foster safe and open working conditions for Chinese and other international scholars while complying with these obligations.

Supporting International Values in the Research Enterprise, a three-year initiative made possible by the generous support of the Henry Luce Foundation, will help universities address the growing challenges and continue to serve as global hubs of knowledge creation. Over the course of the project, we will:

  • Create and maintain a public Sino-US policy and issues tracker monitoring federal and state policy developments and enforcement actions.
  • Organize convenings of research leaders, legal experts, and international scholars, to identify priorities for strengthening institutional resilience in a rapidly changing policy environment.
  • Support dialogue between researchers and research administrators to improve support for researchers and meet compliance requirements.
  • Develop a values-in-action framework outlining strategies for university leaders to affirm their commitments to the open exchange of knowledge across national borders.

For more information on the project or to learn how to get involved please contact: Ruby.MacDougall@Ithaka.org

About the Henry Luce Foundation

The Henry Luce Foundation seeks to deepen knowledge and understanding in pursuit of a more democratic and just world. Established in 1936 by Henry R. Luce, the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Time, Inc., the Luce Foundation advances its mission by nurturing knowledge communities and institutions, fostering dialogue across divides, enriching public discourse, amplifying diverse voices, and investing in leadership development.