[Trump vs Harvard] ③ Majority of Top 10 Research Institutions Are Chinese... Concerns Over U.S. Competitiveness

Half of STEM Master's and PhD Graduates Are International Students
Industry Impact Looms for Silicon Valley and Beyond
Other Countries Compete for R&D Talent Amid U.S. Turmoil

Editor's NoteU.S. President Donald Trump is shaking American society by directly targeting Harvard University, the world's most prestigious institution. Citing the spread of anti-Semitism on college campuses, he has drastically reduced federal funding for major universities and taken the unprecedented step of stripping Harvard of its eligibility to enroll foreign students. While the stated justification is to eradicate anti-Semitism, critics argue that there is a political motive to brand Harvard as a symbol of the left-wing establishment and to wage a "culture war" against the progressive camp. As university campuses, the symbol of American higher education and the center of global talent, are now being pushed to the frontlines of an ideological battle, concerns are emerging from within that academic freedom and America's national competitiveness are under threat. In response, Asia Economy will examine the conflict between President Trump and elite U.S. universities in a three-part series, exploring its political and social implications.

"If the United States wants to maintain its national competitiveness, it must actively support the retention of international STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) talent trained in the U.S."

As pointed out by Julie Heng, a Harvard graduate and fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), many American experts are concerned about the impact of the Trump administration's crackdown on Harvard on the country. At the root of these worries is the rise of China's research and development (R&D) capabilities. China is already so aggressive that 9 out of the top 10 global research institutions (by university) are located in China. The only institution holding the top spot outside of "China's backyard" is Harvard University. However, can Harvard maintain its reputation as the world's number one university if international students leave? China is watching President Trump's precarious battle with great interest.

Chinese Universities Sweep Ranks 2 to 10... Harvard Is the Only Rival

According to the Nature Index on June 11, 9 out of the top 10 institutions worldwide, based on research share (contribution) among academic institutions, are Chinese universities. Except for Harvard University (U.S.) in first place, all institutions ranked 2 to 10 are Chinese universities. The Nature Index is a leading performance indicator in science and technology, evaluating countries, institutions, and universities based on papers published in major scientific journals such as Science.

Harvard University, the only non-Chinese institution, ranks first among all universities in terms of contribution (1,142). However, the picture changes if the ranking is based on the number of papers. In that case, Harvard (3,875 papers) loses the top spot to the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (4,028 papers). Amid the quantitative growth of Chinese universities each year, Harvard's position is also becoming precarious. Contribution is considered a more important metric than the mere number of papers, as it measures the actual impact on the research community.

In particular, science and technology fields, which have a high proportion of international students, are expected to be more severely affected by the Trump administration's expulsion of international students than other majors. According to CSIS, about half of today's STEM master's and doctoral graduates are foreign students. In addition, government workforce reductions at the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation, as well as cuts to R&D funding, are also factors that make studying in the U.S. less attractive.

The visa restriction policies being pursued by the Trump administration apply not only to F visas (for study and language training) but also to M (vocational training) and J (visiting scholars) visas. On June 5, President Trump issued a proclamation instructing a review of the revocation of existing F, M, and J visas for current Harvard students, and banned all new F, M, and J visa entries for prospective students. According to Harvard's Office of International Students, international students make up more than a quarter of the student body, with Chinese students representing the largest proportion.

The impact is expected to extend beyond universities to industry as well. According to CNN, in the past year, more than 12 prominent Chinese scholars in the U.S. have returned to China to become professors at prestigious Chinese universities. If the pool of talent from elite U.S. universities shrinks, the American IT industry is also likely to suffer. In particular, IT companies representing Silicon Valley are highly dependent on international talent, including those of Indian descent. For example, major U.S.-born multinational IT companies such as Google, Microsoft (MS), Adobe, and IBM have had both current and former CEOs of Indian descent. Sundar Pichai, who has led Google since 2015, is also an Indian-American CEO.

Other Countries Quietly Compete to Attract R&D Talent Amid U.S. Turmoil

Meanwhile, as the U.S. faces turmoil, other countries have jumped into the competition to secure R&D talent. At the government level, Hong Kong, Japan, and several European countries are the most proactive. In Europe, France is particularly active. Fouziya Bouzerda, Dean of Grenoble School of Management, has established a "fast-track applications" policy for students admitted to U.S. business schools, opening the doors for them. Over 100 French universities and Grandes Ecoles (France's elite higher education institutions) are already discussing joint measures to support foreign students who are about to study in the U.S. or are currently residing there.

Japan is taking similar steps. According to Kyodo News, on May 27, Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology asked universities to consider accepting Harvard students who are leaving the U.S. The Ishiba Shigeru Cabinet is also preparing policy incentives to attract researchers departing the U.S. The Hong Kong government, in partnership with eight prestigious universities including the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, has also begun efforts to attract Harvard students. On May 27, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee stated, "Any student facing difficulties in their studies due to America's discriminatory policies is welcome to study in Hong Kong."

Even China, one of the reasons behind President Trump's crackdown on international students, has expressed bewilderment at his actions. A spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently stated, "China has consistently opposed the politicization of educational cooperation," and criticized, "This latest U.S. measure will only damage its own image and international reputation." Similar sentiments have appeared on China's social networking service (SNS) platform Weibo. One popular comment read, "It's amusing to watch them self-destruct," receiving hundreds of 'likes.' Another user, sharing an article about President Trump, wrote, "Attracting international students is a key way to bring in top talent. If that path is blocked, can Harvard still be Harvard?"?a sentiment that resonated with many.