Higher-Ed Groups Caution FBI About Monitoring Chinese Scientists

Twenty-two higher education associations and rights groups released a statement on August 12, 2019 cautioning against an effort by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other government officials to monitor certain Chinese scientists working at American universities. The statement cites an NPR report that intelligence agencies are encouraging U.S. research universities to monitor students and visiting scholars from Chinese state-affiliated research institutions. The statement reads in part, “This move seemingly stems from growing suspicion that the Chinese government is engaged in espionage of American higher education, with the aim of stealing data and intellectual property. However, this is an area where the government must tread carefully.” The statement acknowledges that concerns over certain incidents involving Chinese espionage are valid but “calls to monitor individuals solely based on their country of origin violate norms of due process and should raise alarms in a democracy.” The groups warn that the FBI investigation could hamper “future recruitment of talented foreign students and scholars” and “impede the training of new scientists, as well as damage ongoing projects” if “not conducted with care.” Among the signatories are the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), the Association for the Study of Higher Education, and the Association o...
Source: Public Policy Reports - Category: Biology Authors: Source Type: news