Main content

Exchange and influence

A top US university renews Russian tech partnership despite red flags raised by officials.

Late last year, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology signed a five-year extension of a multimillion-dollar partnership with Skolkova, a Russian technology research institute. This partnership has long raised espionage fears among foreign policy experts and the FBI. The contract renewal was a reversal in an MIT-Russia partnership that appeared to be dormant. The extension came just three months after the US federal government announced it is investigating MIT’s compliance with reporting requirements for the Russian money it has received in connection with the project.

Also, the Trump administration is taking a closer look at funding from Chinese donors because it suspects widespread economic espionage; and President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines says he's following through on a promise to kick US troops out of his country.

(Russia's Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and Viktor Vekselberg (L-R centre front), Renova Group Board Chairman and Skolkovo Foundation President, visit the Skolkovo Technopark in Moscow. Credit: Alexander Astafyev/Getty Images)

Available now

27 minutes

Last on

Mon 9 Mar 2020 09:32GMT

Broadcasts

  • Sat 7 Mar 2020 22:32GMT
  • Sun 8 Mar 2020 04:32GMT
  • Sun 8 Mar 2020 12:32GMT
  • Mon 9 Mar 2020 09:32GMT

Free Download

Subscribe to receive every episode automatically

Boston Calling Clips

Big stories, short listens - highlights from Boston Calling

Podcast