Treason in Higher Education
Segment # 414
I have listed below the corruption, influence peddling, and potential treason on the part of US institutions in working with Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and China. This is just on the surface. How many politicians are involved … how many more programs are in play and how much damage has already been done?
CONFIRMED: Official Senate Hearing, Texas A&M Public University IS BEING SECRETLY FUNDED by Qatar and they are SENDING ALL their intellectual property overseas Including NUCLEAR RESEARCH “We did a report on Texas A&M. We found $1.3 billion in undocumented money between the Qatari regime and Texas A&M. We found 502 research projects. Texas A&M gave ALL of their intellectual property rights to the Qatari regime. 58 projects we flagged that have military dual use purpose, 13 have nuclear research dual use purposes. Qatar has very good relations with the Iranian revolutionary regime, Hamas, and the Taliban. At Cornell University, we found $2 billion in unreported undocumented funding going from Qatar to Cornell K-12. We just published a report, hundreds of millions of dollars going to create curriculum across the United States of America for children that removed Jews and Christians from curriculum about the Middle East.”
Qatar
Texas A&M University at Qatar (TAMUQ)
Established in 2003, TAMUQ operated under a contract with the Qatar Foundation that stipulated the foundation's ownership of technical data and intellectual property developed through the university's research programs. This arrangement included provisions for transferring research data and software to other Qatari institutions, such as Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), upon the campus's closure.
Northwestern University in Qatar (NU-Q)
Since its inception in 2008, NU-Q has received over $600 million in funding from Qatar. The university's presence in Education City facilitates access to Qatari research funding and involves collaborative research efforts, potentially leading to shared intellectual property rights.Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
Operating in Education City, Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar offers programs in computer science and business administration. The campus engages in research collaborations that may involve the transfer or joint ownership of intellectual property with Qatari partners.Weill Cornell Medicine–Qatar
As the medical branch of Cornell University in Qatar, this institution conducts biomedical research in collaboration with local entities. Such partnerships often include agreements on the management and ownership of resulting intellectual property.Georgetown University in Qatar
Specializing in international affairs, Georgetown's Qatar campus participates in research initiatives that may lead to the development and transfer of intellectual property in collaboration with Qatari institutions.Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar (VCUarts Qatar)
Focusing on arts and design, VCUarts Qatar engages in creative and academic projects that can result in intellectual property shared with or transferred to Qatari partners.Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU)
As a member of the Qatar Foundation, HBKU actively collaborates with international universities and manages intellectual property through its Office of Innovation and Industrial Relations. The university facilitates the protection and commercialization of IP developed through these partnerships.Qatar University
Qatar's national university has established an Innovation Office responsible for managing intellectual property rights. The office works with international partners to protect and commercialize IP, fostering an environment conducive to research and innovation.
Context and Implications
These collaborations have positioned Qatar as a significant player in global education and research. However, they have also raised concerns regarding the influence of foreign funding on academic freedom and the management of intellectual property. In some cases, the agreements have led to scrutiny over the extent of Qatar's control over research outputs and the potential implications for U.S. national security and academic integrity. James G. Martin Center
The transfer of intellectual property through these partnerships underscores the complex interplay between international collaboration, funding, and the governance of academic research.James G. Martin Center+2ISGAP+2Wikipedia+2
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia has used various means to influence U.S. institutions and potentially access or influence intellectual property (IP), particularly through educational partnerships, investments, and think tank funding. Here's a breakdown of key areas:
🇸🇦 Influence Through Universities
Saudi Arabia has engaged in partnerships with major U.S. universities, often through research funding or endowments, which can have implications for access to academic research and influence over agendas:
MIT and Harvard: Both schools received millions in donations from Saudi sources. MIT faced scrutiny over its ties to the Saudi government following the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Johns Hopkins: Has had partnerships in medical research with Saudi institutions.
Georgetown and Harvard: Prince Alwaleed bin Talal donated tens of millions to establish centers for Islamic studies, raising concerns over narrative influence.
George Washington University, UCLA, and others have also reported Saudi-funded programs.
🧾 According to the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. universities accepted over $1.6 billion in funding from Saudi sources between 2012 and 2021. These donations often come with limited transparency.
🧠 Intellectual Property Concerns
While direct transfer of dual-use or military-grade intellectual property is harder to document, concerns have been raised in the following areas:
Joint Research Ventures: Sponsored programs in STEM fields (e.g., energy, cybersecurity, AI, defense-related technologies) at U.S. universities could result in shared or unintentionally transferred IP.
Saudi Research Centers: Collaborations with Saudi universities and research centers like King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) or KAUST (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology) have involved U.S. institutions in areas of advanced science.
Cyber and AI fields: As Saudi Arabia builds out Vision 2030 and becomes more tech-centric, it seeks access to AI and biotech knowledge—raising red flags about proprietary U.S. research being influenced or co-opted.
🏛️ Think Tanks and Political Influence
Saudi Arabia has also funded U.S. think tanks and lobbying efforts:
Brookings Institution: Received at least $2 million from the Qatari government, but Saudi-affiliated donors have also given.
Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and Atlantic Council have accepted Saudi-linked funding.
These relationships can shape research outputs, policy recommendations, and public opinion, particularly on Middle East policy, arms sales, and energy policy.
🇺🇸 Government Oversight and Criticism
The Department of Education and GAO (Government Accountability Office) have investigated foreign influence in U.S. higher education, especially for underreporting of foreign gifts or contracts.
Bipartisan concern in Congress has led to calls for greater transparency and scrutiny of foreign donations to universities, including Saudi Arabia’s.
China
Yes, China has used its relationships with U.S. universities to gain access to influence, talent, and intellectual property (IP). This has been documented through various government investigations and academic studies. Here are the key points:
1. Talent Recruitment Programs
China has operated state-sponsored talent programs such as the Thousand Talents Plan, which:
Recruited professors and researchers from U.S. institutions.
Encouraged recipients to transfer knowledge, research, and sometimes proprietary technologies back to China.
Often did not disclose foreign payments or affiliations, leading to conflicts of interest.
Example: Several U.S.-based academics were prosecuted for failing to disclose their affiliations with Chinese institutions while receiving U.S. federal grants (e.g., NIH, DoD).
2. Research Collaborations and Exchange Programs
Chinese students and scholars often participate in joint research projects at U.S. universities, some of which are in sensitive or dual-use fields (i.e., technologies with both civilian and military applications).
Concerns have been raised that open research environments are exploited to gain early access to cutting-edge science.
3. Intellectual Property Theft
There have been numerous cases where individuals affiliated with Chinese institutions were accused or convicted of stealing research or trade secrets from U.S. universities or labs.
In some cases, labs funded by U.S. taxpayers unwittingly contributed to technologies that ended up being commercialized or militarized in China.
Notable Example: Harvard professor Charles Lieber, a nanotechnology expert, was convicted for lying about his ties to China’s Wuhan University of Technology and involvement in the Thousand Talents Plan.
4. Influence and Soft Power
Institutions such as Confucius Institutes were established at U.S. universities to promote Chinese language and culture. Critics argue they were used as tools for soft power and political influence, often tied to censorship or propaganda concerns.
Many universities have since closed or restructured these partnerships due to national security concerns and funding transparency laws.
5. Federal Response
The FBI and NIH launched investigations into foreign influence on U.S. research, especially by China.
The CHIPS and Science Act (2022) and related policies are meant to curb unauthorized IP transfer and promote secure research environments.
As of the 2023–2024 academic year, approximately 277,398 Chinese students were enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities, making China the second-largest source of international students after India. This figure represents a decline from a peak of over 370,000 in 2019–2020, attributed to factors such as geopolitical tensions and pandemic-related disruptions .Wikipedia
U.S. Universities with Significant Chinese Student Populations
Several U.S. institutions have historically hosted large numbers of Chinese students:
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC): In 2015, UIUC enrolled over 5,000 students from Mainland China, making them the largest international group on campus .Wikipedia
Michigan State University (MSU): Between 2008 and 2012, MSU had approximately 4,700 Chinese students, constituting 62% of its international student body during that period .Wikipedia+1Wikipedia+1
Purdue University: Chinese students have been the largest international group, comprising 38% of Purdue's undergraduate international population .Wikipedia
University of Southern California (USC): Nearly half (49.8%) of USC's international students have been from China .Wikipedia
Ohio State University: Chinese students have made up 60% of the international student population .Wikipedia
Boston University (BU): As of 2015, 43% of BU's international students were from China .Wikipedia
Rice University: In 2022, Rice had 1,145 students from China, accounting for nearly half of its international student population .Wikipedia
University of Pennsylvania. 2018 Named after Joe Biden, who served as a professor and led the center between his vice presidency and presidential campaign. Its stated mission: to advance diplomacy and global engagement in the public interest.
💵 Donations from China to the University of Pennsylvania
According to public records and watchdog groups (e.g., the National Legal and Policy Center), the University of Pennsylvania received approximately $54 million from Chinese sources between 2014 and 2019, including: $23.1 million in anonymous donations from China between 2016–2019. A significant portion came after the Penn Biden Center was announced in 2017. Note: These donations went to the university, not directly to the Penn Biden Center. However, critics argue the timeline raises red flags about potential influence-buying or soft diplomacy efforts.
Contextual Considerations
While the majority of Chinese students pursue education and research in the U.S. for legitimate academic reasons, there have been concerns regarding the potential for intellectual property theft and undue influence. For instance, a recent case involved the firing of Professor Xiaofeng Wang at Indiana University over allegations of undisclosed Chinese funding, despite no criminal charges being filed . Such incidents have heightened scrutiny and led to increased federal investigations into foreign influence in academia.The Guardian