Heightened Focus on Foreign Influence in Academia

Last month the Department of Education released an unusual public report “to highlight for institutions of higher education the importance of compliant, transparent, and effective reporting under Section 117” and to “assist schools in assessing the state of their compliance.” Section 117 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 requires institutions of higher education to submit disclosure reports to DOE concerning gifts received from any foreign source, contracts with a foreign entity, and any ownership interests in or control over the institution by a foreign entity.