"Launched in January, the Department of Education's new foreign funding reporting portal shows that $62.4 billion has been disclosed. The portal includes some funding from as far back as 1981. Analysis of the data shows that Qatar contributed $6.6 billion to date-the largest of all 194 countries. The figures have been picked up by a number of right-wing websites as evidence of Qatari influence in the U.S."
"Alexander Cooley, professor of political science at Barnard College, said releasing raw data without context or analysis invites politicization. "Simply listing the country of origin offers a very crude snapshot of the amount and provenance of foreign funds," he said. Instead of focusing on the country of origin, Cooley said legitimate concerns about foreign funding should revolve around the purpose, terms and stewardship of these funds."
Under Section 117 of the Higher Education Act, institutions must disclose foreign gifts and contracts worth $250,000 or more. The Department of Education portal shows $62.4 billion disclosed, with some entries dating back to 1981. Qatar accounts for $6.6 billion, the largest amount among 194 countries, and much of that funding went to institutions with branch campuses in the Gulf. Right-wing sites have presented the figures as evidence of Qatari influence. Scholars warn that releasing raw data without context risks politicization and that scrutiny should focus on purpose, terms, transparency, academic freedom, research integrity, and administration of funds.
Read at Inside Higher Ed | Higher Education News, Events and Jobs
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