Overview
- Federal officials sent Duke a records request dated Sept. 15 that asks for tax filings, agreements, compliance files and other documents and gives the university 30 days to produce them.
- The agencies say their review found disclosures that were late or incomplete and at least one instance where a governmental partner was labeled non‑governmental, which would violate Section 117 reporting rules for institutions that receive federal funds.
- Investigators are concentrating on Duke Kunshan University, the joint campus launched with Wuhan University in 2013, citing federal materials that say Wuhan is overseen by China bodies tied to national defense and a 2025 House Select Committee letter about military‑related training.
- Duke has acknowledged receiving the correspondence, said it is reviewing the request, and pledged to comply with the law while the Education and State departments cooperate on the probe.
- The inquiry follows wider federal scrutiny of U.S. university foreign ties after August outreach by the Department of Defense and could affect research funding, student aid and academic partnerships if the departments pursue enforcement or litigation.