The University of Sydney (USyd) is among several Australian universities at risk of losing crucial research funding due to recent policy changes introduced by the Trump administration.
The Australian National University (ANU) was the first to publicly acknowledge the termination of nearly $1 million in funding for its terrorism and targeted violence research, deemed misaligned with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s priorities.
This move is part of a broader initiative affecting institutions such as Monash University, the University of Melbourne, the University of New South Wales, and the University of Western Australia. Affected researchers have received a comprehensive 36-point questionnaire from U.S. federal agencies, probing their involvement in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, alignment with U.S. gender policies, and financial ties to countries such as China, Russia, Cuba, or Iran.
The administration’s focus on combating “woke gender ideology” has been cited as a rationale for these funding suspensions. Researchers have been informed that projects perceived to promote such ideologies may not align with current U.S. government priorities, leading to temporary funding pauses.
Although no explicit funding cuts have been reported at USyd yet, growing concerns persist within the academic community about potential ramifications for ongoing and future research projects.
National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) USyd Branch President Dr. Peter Chen emphasised the union’s stance against political interference in research funding.
“The NTEU would like to hear from any researchers affected who have not yet reached out to us. The longstanding position of the NTEU is to reject political interference in research funding, especially where that funding has been allocated on the basis of expert assessment and review. We call on the leadership of the University to act to ensure research continuity in the case of any loss of funding support,” he said.
The Group of Eight (Go8), which represents Australia’s leading research-intensive universities, have expressed grave concerns about the implications of these funding freezes. Go8 Chief Executive Vicki Thomson highlighted the potential impact on critical research areas.
“We are extremely concerned about the broader implications of the Trump administration’s policy, not only for the future of health and medical research, but especially regarding defence collaboration,” Thomson stated.
“Go8 universities are deeply engaged in collaborative activities with the US, especially through our defence initiatives and the AUKUS alliance.
“Our universities have enjoyed a long-standing relationship with the US and for every one of our members, the US is the largest research partner by far.”
She noted that Go8 universities collectively received approximately US$161.6 million in grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) during the 2020-2024 financial years, accounting for 88 percent of all NIH funding to Australian universities in that period.
She added, “Coming on the back of changes to Australia’s international education policy, which props up our university research effort, we are at a critical juncture. Australia must double down on getting a seat at the table to access the world’s largest research fund, Horizon Europe. Associate membership to Horizon Europe – the EU’s €95.5 billion flagship research and innovation programme – will not only deliver important economic and social benefits, it will strengthen the Australian-European partnership.
“It’s now more important than ever that we get back to the negotiation table on the stalled Australian-European Free Trade Agreement” Thomson said.
A USyd spokesperson told Honi: “We’re carefully monitoring developments and working closely with the sector as we seek to understand potential implications for our research. We deeply value our international research collaborations and would manage any instances on a case-by-case basis in line with our codes and policies as required.”
As the situation unfolds, Australian universities are calling for urgent intervention from both the Australian and U.S. governments to clarify funding eligibility and safeguard research collaborations critical to national and global advancements.
