Higher Education

Pentagon orders Oklahoma universities to scrutinize foreign partnerships

August 20, 2026

Ray Carter

The U.S. Department of War has issued formal notifications to 30 domestic academic institutions, directing them to initiate immediate and comprehensive reviews of their academic, financial, and research collaborations with foreign entities of concern.

Public reports indicate two Oklahoma universities are among that number: Oklahoma State University and Northeastern State University in Tahlequah.

In a press release, the Department of War stated that the notifications address active institutional ties and collaborations with foreign entities identified under Section 1286 of the FY19 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), as well as organizations associated with rebranded Confucius Institutes.

Executed by the Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering, federal officials said the review is designed to protect American taxpayer-funded research investments from unauthorized technology transfer, intellectual property theft, and adversarial exploitation.

“The Department of War has zero tolerance for academic partnerships that compromise our national security,” said Emil Michael, Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering. “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.”

To maintain eligibility for future federal research funding, notified universities must complete a comprehensive audit of all identified foreign collaborations, assess the exposure of sensitive or export-controlled research, and implement strict mitigation plans, including the termination of problematic partnerships. Institutions are required to report their findings and actions directly to the Department no later than August 31.

OSU released a statement to FOX 25 in Tulsa, stating that the university is “committed to helping to protect the integrity and security of the U.S. research enterprise. The university is reviewing the letter and coordinating with appropriate campus offices to ensure continued compliance with applicable federal research-security requirements. The university remains committed to supporting productive research partnerships while safeguarding sensitive information, technologies, and federally funded research.”

In a statement provided to the Broken Arrow Sentinel, Danny Mabery, vice president for University Relations & External Affairs at Northeastern State University, said the university has completed a comprehensive review of its academic, financial, and research relationship with China’s Guangzhou College of Technology and Business (GCTB).

Mabery said the review confirmed the relationship with GCTB is “limited exclusively to undergraduate teaching and degree completion,” and found no GCTB collaboration with a People’s Republic of China national-level or military laboratory.