Australia has terminated two academic partnerships with Chinese institutions, a move reflecting increasing alignment with U.S. policies on research security, officials and analysts say. The Australian National University (ANU) announced earlier this month it would end its joint teaching program with Shandong University (SDU), citing national security concerns following a directive from Foreign Minister Penny Wong. Around the same time, the University of Queensland saw its research collaboration with the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) on developing pain relief from a native plant cancelled for similar reasons.

These actions follow the United States’ expanded restrictions on certain Chinese research entities, including the Pentagon’s designation of Shandong University as a national security threat. Canberra’s decision reflects a growing emphasis on political considerations in research partnerships, with observers noting a shift from project-specific evaluations to broader institutional blacklisting.

The ANU-SDU joint program offered undergraduate courses in biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics, allowing Chinese students to study in China for three years before completing two years in Australia. The University of Queensland’s collaboration with CAS was part of a wider Australia-China research initiative supported by funding from both parties.

Chen Hong, director of the Australian Studies Centre at East China Normal University in Shanghai, interpreted these recent moves as Australia increasingly adopting the United States’ framework for research security. He suggested that political discretion is supplanting academic judgment in determining viable partnerships, especially in sensitive dual-use technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, advanced materials, biotechnology, data science, and autonomous systems.

James Laurenceson, head of the Australia-China Relations Institute at the University of Technology Sydney, echoed concerns that the cancellations signal a political message urging Australian academia to avoid collaborations with Chinese institutions. Laurenceson described the terminated partnerships as low risk and questioned the practicality of shifting research alliances toward U.S.-aligned countries. He warned that severing ties with China could isolate Australian science from a leading global innovator and potentially confine it to a diminished research ecosystem.

Responding to Canberra's decisions, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian criticized what he described as an overstretching of national security concerns, accusing Australia of politicizing and weaponizing routine scientific and academic exchanges.

Despite these restrictions, experts do not foresee a complete breakdown in Australia-China educational and research cooperation. A June report from the Australian Department of Education showed that China had approved three new joint institutes and eight joint programs with Australia in 2026, increasing totals to 22 active joint institutes and 101 joint programs by May. The continuity of these collaborations highlights the enduring institutional ties between the two countries’ academic communities amid growing geopolitical tensions.