Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are among 30 universities ordered by the US Department of War to review their foreign research and academic partnerships due to concerns that sensitive research could fall into the hands of foreign adversaries.
The department announced on Aug. 17 that the universities must conduct “immediate and comprehensive” audits of their academic, financial, and research collaborations with foreign entities of concern.
The schools have until Aug. 31 to report their findings and actions to the department, with eligibility for future federal research funding potentially at stake.
Universities are being directed to identify relevant foreign collaborations, determine whether sensitive or export-controlled research has been exposed, and develop mitigation plans that could include ending partnerships the department considers problematic.
The department has not publicly stated which specific partnership or research activity led to Duke or UNC being included, and inclusion on the list does not, by itself, establish that either university violated federal law or improperly transferred research.
The audits instead focus on universities’ active relationships with foreign organizations identified under Section 1286 of the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act, as well as organizations connected to what the department describes as rebranded Confucius Institutes.
The War Department updated its Section 1286 list in July to include 130 academic and research institutions in China, Russia, and Iran that it says have engaged in activities increasing the likelihood that US-funded research could be misappropriated.
Beginning in fiscal year 2026, the department is prohibited from funding fundamental research that involves collaboration with entities on the list.
Department officials said the audits are intended to protect federal research funding and prevent work conducted at American universities from being exploited by foreign entities.
“Universities are critical partners in executing a wide range of Department of War research programs, and the Department must therefore ensure that our research investments are well protected from foreign exploitation,” said Joseph Jewell, assistant secretary of war for science and technology.
The order carries potentially significant implications for both North Carolina universities, given their existing research ties to the military. According to the National Science Foundation’s National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Duke reported approximately $52.3 million in research and development expenditures financed by the Department of Defense in fiscal year 2024, while UNC-Chapel Hill reported nearly $30 million.
Emil Michael, undersecretary of war for research and engineering, said that universities receiving taxpayer-supported research funding will be expected to meet the department’s research security standards.
“The Department of War has zero tolerance for academic partnerships that compromise our national security,” Michael said. “Institutions that receive funding from American taxpayers must uphold the highest standards of research security, and these mandated audits will ensure accountability across the board.”
For Duke, the new audit comes after its relationships in China had already drawn scrutiny from congressional Republicans.
Duke operates Duke Kunshan University in China through a partnership with Wuhan University and the city of Kunshan. In 2025, leaders of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party and the House Education and Workforce Committee called on Duke to end the partnership, arguing it created national-security and research-security risks.
Duke responded at the time that it respected Congress’ oversight role and would work to further educate lawmakers about the university’s global education mission. The War Department has not said whether the latest audit requirement is connected to Duke Kunshan.
UNC’s inclusion comes as the university is simultaneously expanding another relationship with the War Department.
Last month, UNC-Chapel Hill was approved to participate in the department’s revamped Senior Service College Fellowship program, which sends senior military officers to civilian universities for education and research. UNC officials said officers would have access to academic and research programs involving artificial intelligence, public policy, and global security.
