Georgia Tech to end partnership with Chinese university over security concerns
(FOX 5)
ATLANTA - Georgia Tech is cutting its longtime partnership with a prominent Chinese university over national security concerns.
The Georgia university has been working with China's Tianjin University and the Shenzhen Municipal Government through the Georgia Tech Shenzhen Institute since 2016.
Most recently, the school announced the partnership had led to the creation of the world's first functional semiconductor made from graphene - which could open the door to a new way of creating electronics.
However, in 2020, the US Commerce Department added Tianjin University to its Entity List, which restricts exports due to national security concerns. In May, the House of Representatives select committee on China wrote a letter to Georgia Tech asking for more information on the partnership and its research on semiconductors, citing concerns about the possible connection between Tianjin University and companies that support the China People's Liberation Army, Reuters reports.
After an evaluation of the program, Georgia Tech announced that it would end its participation in the program and will be asking its accreditor to end the degree program, declaring the situation "no longer tenable."
"As a vital driver of American innovation, we are proud of the global experiences and education we have been able to provide to our students as the next generation of leaders," said Steven McLaughlin, provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs. "The choice to end our many years of successful educational development initiatives to grant Georgia Tech degrees in the region was a difficult one."
Right now there are about 300 students in the program. Georgia Tech officials say they will have the opportunity to fulfill their degree requirements.