Derisking Policies in International Higher Education: Navigating the Geopolitics of Knowledge

This article examines "derisking" policies in international higher education targeting China-Western research collaborations.While intended to protect national security and intellectual property, these measures erode mutual trust, disrupt academic talent flows, and fragment global knowledge creation.The paper advocates for "knowledge diplomacy" over academic isolation, arguing that addressing global challenges requires balancing security concerns with continued academic collaboration through transparency, mutual respect, and commitment to academic freedom.nternational higher education, once characterized by accelerating open collaboration following the Cold War, has recently encountered significant headwinds.Major Western countries, including the United States, the European Union with its 2023 strategy, and nations like Australia and Canada, have introduced policies aimed at safeguarding national research security.These "derisking" measures primarily target research partnerships with China, whose rapid technological advancement and distinct political system have drawn scrutiny.While these policies aim to protect national interests and sensitive technologies, we must ask: what specific risks are we controlling, and what are the implications for global knowledge creation and academic exchange?