STEM researchers from countries of concern
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In this publication, Katsuya Tamai explains why it’s important that the Quad countries be open to all foreign STEM researchers who share their fundamental values and why excluding any researcheres from countries of concern can be counter-productive. He also suggests ways in which the Quad members can engage with STEM researchers from those countries in positive ways.
Key points
- Quad countries must be open to all foreign science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) researchers who share our fundamental values.
- Excluding, or tightly screening, every STEM researcher from countries of concern has questionable efficacy and is likely to be counterproductive.
- It is unfeasible to exclude all Chinese STEM scholars from all Quad nation research institutions.
- Policies aimed at preventing the outflow of technology should be complemented by visa policies that encourage inflows.
Policy recommendations
- Quad countries should issue special STEM visas to students from countries of concern who demonstrate high research ability via an endorsement system tied to specific laboratories.
- STEM visa holders should receive government scholarships provided they regularly report their activities on threat of deportation.
- STEM visa holders who have successfully conducted research and demonstrated their trustworthiness should receive special commendations.
About the series
This paper has been written for the Quad Tech Network Dialogue, as part of the Quad Tech Network (QTN) initiative. QTN is an initiative of the NSC, delivered with support from the Australian Government. It aims to establish and deepen academic and official networks linking the Quad nations – Australia, India, Japan, and the United States – in relation to the most pressing technology issues affecting the future security and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific.
