Universities' awareness of foreign interference risks will be scrutinised by a parliamentary inquiry next year.Credit:Peter Braig
It also highlighted as another example the work of Monash University Professor Paul Zimmet AO in an international team,which included Peking University Professor Linong Ji,that found that elderly people with diabetes who contracted COVID-19 faced a much higher risk of dying.
The examples were detailed in a submission to a federal parliamentary inquiry into national security risks affecting the higher education and research sector.
In their most wide-ranging comments on the proposed changes so far,the organisation said the risks"must be managed effectively"but argued this required"nuance,care and balance"to ensure it did not cause unnecessary damage to research partnerships.
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"The Go8 also recognises the risks to our nation's economic and societal future if Australia as a nation,with the best of intent,over-reacts and damages the open democratic exchange that... enriches our country and our society,"the submission said.
The submission noted that Group of Eight universities,which include the University of Sydney,the University of Melbourne and the Australian National University,conducted"far more research"with the European Union (34 per cent),United States (23 per cent) and United Kingdom (17 per cent),than with China (13 per cent).
It also used the submission to urge caution in managing China's Thousand Talents program so that"dealing with security risks does not descend into unnecessary mistrust of individuals."