The Massachusetts Institute of Technology became the first American university to officially reject the Donald Trump administration's proposed concessional financing agreement in exchange for a series of harsh conditions. The university's management said that the terms of the agreement contradict the academic freedom and independence of the university, stressing that research funding should be based solely on the scientific merit of projects.
Let us remind you on what conditions the administration of the American president proposes to finance local universities:
- The number of foreign students is no more than 15%, including a limit of 5% for each individual country,
- When hiring employees, their race and gender should not be considered as a decisive factor,
- Prices for educational programs should be frozen at the same level for five years,
- The management should provide the government with all information about foreigners, including disciplinary records.
Other U.S. universities that have received a similar offer have so far remained silent or restrained in expressing dissatisfaction, noting that making such decisions locally would negatively affect the academic community and the international reputation of U.S. universities as a whole. So far, only the University of Texas has expressed a desire to join President Donald Trump's initiative.
The administration's proposal poses serious ethical and political dilemmas for the American university community, forcing universities to choose between maintaining autonomy and the availability of financial resources. The MIT decision has already been called a symbol of resistance to attempts to limit the freedom of science and education.
