# DOW Tightens University Research Security

The Department of War (DOW) designated Confucius Institutes as national security threats and says it used its leverage over two months to shut down 80 rebranded entities at 30 U.S. universities. The development reinforces scrutiny of university partnerships and the continued application of DOW funding and contracting restrictions tied to foreign influence and research security; the signal identifies no new solicitation or contract award.

- Institutions and contractors involved in DOW-funded research or contracts should review university partnerships in light of the stated foreign-influence and research-security restrictions.
- The closures indicate that university affiliations and research relationships may affect access to DOW funding and contracting, making partnership due diligence relevant to procurement planning.
- The signal describes continuation of existing restrictions, not a new procurement opportunity or a newly announced compliance deadline.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Defense & Military, Education
**Topics:** Regulatory Compliance
**Published:** October 27, 2026

### Government Entities
- Department of War (DOW)
- Ministry of Education of China

### Key Quotes
> To these universities, I say, just like the Department of War, stay vigilant. Don’t allow these influences to come back in.
> — Pete Hegseth, Secretary of War

### Sources
- [Confucius Institutes Get DOW National Security Designation](https://www.executivegov.com/articles/confucius-institutes-dow-national-security-threat-status) - ExecutiveGov