Brief Helps Institutions Recognize Foreign Malign Influence on Campuses

There has been an uptick in bipartisan concern about foreign malign influence in American society over the last decade, spanning two administrations. Colleges and universities have been in conversations with federal agencies since the onset of this heightened concern, with particular interest in research security.

However, with the global use of social media and other technologies, the concern has expanded from a focus on just research security to broader influences that are harder to define.

To shed more light on these issues, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Department of Education, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, in consultation with an academic roundtable, assembled information and resources to help educate campuses about potential foreign threats. The result was a briefing paper, detailing how to recognize foreign malign influence, misappropriation of research, and transnational repression on a college campus. Federal intelligence agencies want higher education institutions to know that these concepts are all related, but they are not all the same. Agencies also want to ensure institutions are more aware of foreign malign influence without being alarmed or discouraging international partnerships.

In addition to understanding the possible threats, federal agencies are encouraging institutions to develop relationships with their regional and local offices. The Department of Education has regional offices, and the FBI has regional and local field offices. Institutions can contact local FBI field offices for consultation or to report suspicious activity. The FBI also maintains an online tipline and provides specific resources on transnational repression that institutions might find useful.