The University of Sydney defied government security warnings and flew a staff member to Iran for secret academic meetings last year, at the height of tensions between Canberra and the terrorist regime in Tehran.<\/p>\n
Australia\u2019s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has now warned universities to stop engaging with Iran, after Sydney University listed the Islamic \u00adRepublic of Iran as a staff travel destination for \u201cuniversity-\u00adrelated administrative or strategic engagements\u2019\u2019 during 2025.<\/p>\n
Despite growing fears of foreign interference<\/a> across Australia\u2019s higher education sector, the elite research university is refusing to reveal the reason for its high-risk visit last year, which was buried in travel disclosures in Sydney University\u2019s latest \u00adannual report.<\/p>\n The university says the visit was for \u201cnon-research purposes\u2019\u2019, but is refusing to identify the academic, their research background, the reason for the visit, or why such a high-risk trip to Iran was approved in the face of Australian government sanctions and longstanding \u201cDo not travel\u201d warnings.<\/a><\/p>\n Vice-chancellor Professor Mark Scott did not respond to a direct request for an explanation of the secretive meeting. However, the university issued a statement on Thursday night, stating: \u201cWe are updating our guidelines to strengthen how we manage international collaborations\u2019\u2019.<\/p>\n DFAT \u2013 which has maintained its Do not travel advice for Iran since 2020 \u2013 told The Australian on Thursday that it does not comment publicly on \u201csanctions compliance matters\u2019\u2019.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Australian government has made clear its expectations that universities should not enter into, continue, or facilitate research collaboration with Iranian entities where this would be inconsistent with Australia\u2019s foreign policy, sanctions regime, or national interest,\u2019\u2019 a spokesperson said. \u201cThis includes researcher to researcher engagement, not only formal institutional agreements.\u2019\u2019 <\/p>\n The University of Sydney told The Australian that the staff visit to a university in Iran, where the repressive Islamic regime massacred thousands of protesters<\/a> last December and January, did not \u00adinvolve research.<\/p>\n \u201cThe visit to Iran formed part of a broader trip which also included plans to attend a conference in Turkey, and meetings at an Iranian university were for non-research academic purposes,\u2019\u2019 the university spokeswoman said, adding: \u201cWe have no institutional ties with Iran.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n Foreign Minister Penny Wong wrote to university vice-chancellors in 2023, instructing them to cease all collaborations with Iran.<\/p>\n Sydney University refused to say whether the academic visited Iran before or after Australia expelled Iran\u2019s ambassador last August, when ASIO linked Iran to an arson attack on a Sydney cafe and a Melbourne synagogue in 2024.<\/a><\/p>\n DFAT urged all Australians to leave Iran in June last year, when it evacuated officials from Australia\u2019s embassy in Tehran, and in November the Albanese government listed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a state sponsor of terrorism.<\/p>\n The Australian has revealed that several Australian universities have collaborated on drone research with Iran<\/a>, as well as sensitive cyber security research with China. Now universities are calling on the Albanese government to provide clearer advice on preventing espionage.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cUniversities are committed to protecting Australia\u2019s national interests, but the current patchwork of advice and expectations is incredibly difficult to navigate,\u2019\u2019 Universities Australia chief executive Luke Sheehy said on Thursday.<\/p>\n \u201cNo one benefits from duplicative or inconsistent advice. Our sector needs a clear, co-ordinated framework from government that strengthens research security while reducing unnecessary red tape and confusion.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n Sydney University also said it would \u201cwelcome a more co-ordinated approach\u2019\u2019 from government agencies. A spokeswoman called for co-ordination \u201caround international collaboration and foreign interference, and the opportunity to participate and build on the principles and rigorous guardrails we have in place.<\/p>\n \u201cWe follow the Australian government\u2019s guidelines on countering foreign interference and have introduced our own guidelines to ensure all research partnerships comply with Australian laws, including sanctions and export controls,\u2019\u2019 the spokeswoman said.<\/p>\n \u201cHowever, as the global environment evolves, we are updating our guidelines to strengthen how we manage international collaborations.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n Universities have already been sent warnings and directives about foreign interference<\/a> from ASIO<\/a>, the federal Education Department, Senator Wong, and the Australian Research Council.<\/p>\n Federal Education Minister Jason Clare vetoed grants for 13 high-risk research collaborations<\/a> this month, after his department sent missives to vice-chancellors in March <\/a>reminding them to comply with Australia\u2019s sanctions regime. \u201cAustralia has introduced sanctions frameworks and export control measures on Iran for its nuclear and missile proliferation activities, and activities that threaten or undermine the sovereignty of another country, on Russia for its illegal war of aggression against Ukraine, and on the DPRK (North Korea) for its weapons of mass destruction program,\u2019\u2019 the federal Education Department wrote.<\/p>\n \u201cEngagement with these countries can give rise to significant legal and national security risks. <\/p>\n \u201cUniversities must comply with the Australian sanctions regime.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n Melbourne University has raised concerns over foreign interference and national security in its latest annual report. \u201cIn 2025, we observed a greater level of threat, which is driving improvements to the way we extend and mature our risk assessment approach and support for researchers,\u2019\u2019 it states.<\/p>\n A Melbourne University spokeswoman would not elaborate on the \u201cgreater level of threat\u2019\u2019.<\/p>\n \u201cThe university is alert to the risks of foreign interference and, in consultation with government, devotes considerable resources to identifying and mitigating these risks,\u2019\u2019 she said. \u201cThe University of Melbourne actively manages foreign interference risks through internal policies, staff training, and compliance.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n Foreign interference expert Brendan Walker-Munro, an associate professor of law at Southern Cross University and an expert associate at the National Security College at the ANU, warned overseas travel can pose security risks to universities.<\/p>\n