The Department of Contracts and Grants (DCG) previously issued guidance and a short training regarding new federal requirements related to Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Programs (MFTRP) under the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. A number of USC faculty have alerted us to recent solicitations to apply for MFTRP funding. These solicitations can come directly from foreign universities or from 3rd parties using names like “China Talent Innovation Hub”, “Overseas Scholars Program”, “Global Doctoral Talent Introduction Program”, or “Talent Exchange”.
Participation in these programs is prohibited by USC policy and federal research sponsors.
If you have been contacted by a MFTRP or think you may have been contacted by a MFTRP, report this to Ben Bell in the Office of Culture, Ethics, and Compliance or to the general compliance email.
Individual awards may also require reporting these types of emails to the sponsor so additional reporting is required in these cases.
- DCG NewsFlash on Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Programs from October 10, 2024.
- DCG NewsFlash reminder on Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Programs and USC Researcher Requirements from June 5, 2025.
- DCG MicroLearning Monday: What You Need to Know About Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Programs from July 14, 2025.
Questions? If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Ben Bell in the Office of Culture, Ethics, and Compliance.