22.08.2025 Major Expansion of ASPI’s China Defence Universities Tracker
The Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) will release a major expansion of its widely used China Defence Universities Tracker in September 2025. Developed by ASPI’s Cyber, Technology & Security Program, the Tracker is a global reference tool for governments, research institutions and companies seeking to understand the military, security and technology risks linked to Chinese universities and research bodies. This next-generation update significantly broadens the Tracker’s scope and analytical depth, with extensive new research on more than 50 major research institutions, including:
- Exclusive global and national rankings on critical technology research, powered by data from ASPI’s Critical Technology Tracker
- Comprehensive details on partnerships with Russian science and technology organisations
- Detailed mapping of institutional links to China’s state-owned defence industry
- New data on the rapid growth of dual-use research centres, often in collaboration with leading Chinese tech companies
- Exclusive insights into contracts and technology flows between research institutions and China’s defence sector, provided through ASPI’s new partnership with corporate intelligence firm Wirescreen.
The update also adds three international joint venture universities, one new civilian university, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) — the world’s largest research organisation – along with 10 institutes affiliated with CAS. These additions build on the Tracker’s existing 100 civilian universities, 50 People’s Liberation Army institutions, three Ministry of State Security institutions, four Ministry of Public Security universities, 12 state-owned defence industry conglomerates and analysis of China’s nuclear weapons program. From 2026, ASPI will also release regular updates every few months, adding Hong Kong universities, additional CAS institutes and expanded research on existing institutions. The project expansion delivers new analytical tools and enhanced transparency to help partners navigate the strategic, reputational and ethical risks of engagement with Chinese institutions tied to Beijing’s military-civil fusion strategy.