Scholars from certain countries face ‘quiet discrimination’ – study

University leaders can prevent staff being subjected to “suspicion and negative attention” because of their nationality by leading more open discussions on campuses, the author of a Norwegian study on ethical and security challenges in research collaboration has said.

Scholars from China, Iran and Russia may “feel they are being subjected to discriminatory treatment” but may struggle to discuss it openly, says a report published by the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI).

NUPI used focus groups, interviews and surveys of researchers and staff who work in internationalisation to uncover the ethical and security-related challenges that scholars face when formulating collaborations, with suspicions over nationality identified as a “relatively common issue”, senior NUPI researcher and author Hans Gåsemyr told Times Higher Education.

“Some feel that their institutions do not address the problem, but refer to general principles that everyone should be treated equally,” Dr Gåsemyr and his co-authors write.

Discrimination could be subtle, he said, citing examples such as oblique comments being made about a person during recruitment discussions or someone missing out on opportunities to undertake policy-related research. “People report that it’s already taking place, often informally, and it’s not necessarily very explicit or very direct.”

Dr Gåsemyr said some Norwegian university leaders had set an example to staff by openly discussing nationality and collaboration, which could help to deter discrimination. “A first step is recognising this is something some students and colleagues might experience and allowing that to be a topic that is addressed,” he said.

“It will become more and more important to deal with because I’m pretty sure the conflictual relations internationally will just sharpen,” said Dr Gåsemyr. “At least every signal in the world points to that.”

Despite growing tensions, the report found that researchers and institutions “do not feel that they are overwhelmed” by the ethical or security aspects of collaboration.

Although general discrimination over nationality is a concern, security laws in many countries limit what information can be shared with scientists from sanctioned states, with even conversations about specific high-risk technologies considered a form of “export” and thus subject to government restrictions.

Concerns were highlighted when a former Norwegian University of Science and Technology professor was charged with breaking security laws after he allegedly allowed four Iranian PhD students to use a university laboratory without departmental permission. A verdict in his case is due in December.

On 24 October, Norwegian police arrested a researcher at UiT The Arctic University of Norway who, they said, had posed as a Brazilian citizen but was actually Russian.

The suspected spy had recently completed a master’s degree in Canada and since December 2021 had been an unpaid guest researcher in a group that worked with government agencies on hybrid threats in the Norwegian Arctic, Hedvig Moe, the chief of the Norwegian Police Security Service, told the Reuters news agency.

Dr Gåsemyr said that while there was “no question there are actors and active intelligence work by foreign countries directed towards Norwegian academia”, most departments knew how to protect themselves.

He added that it was important for academics to be part of a debate that was “very strongly influenced” by security interests. “It’s their job to see the world as a risky and dangerous place, and they should keep doing that. But those are not the only perspectives that should be listened to,” he said.

The NUPI study was funded by the Norwegian government to inform its development of guidelines to better secure international collaboration. The government is currently considering university feedback on revised export control rules.

ben.upton@timeshighereducation.com