A bipartisan bill has been introduced to prevent foreign competitors such as China from stealing U.S. intellectual property developed at U.S. colleges and universities.

The Safeguarding American Innovation Act introduced Thursday by Senators Rob Portman, a Republican from Ohio, and Democrat Tom Carper from Delaware aims to protect university-led research from theft.

The bill includes provisions to standardize the federal grant process and to strengthen visa exchange programs by implementing safeguards of foreign nationals seeking access to sensitive technologies.

The senators based their legislation on their 2019 report that asserts that American taxpayers have unknowingly contributed to the rise of the Chinese economy and military through China's "talent recruitment" tactics.

The report states that the Chinese government has been recruiting scientists and researchers to transfer intellectual property developed by U.S. colleges and universities to China. In a recent high-visibility case, a Harvard professor was charged with lying about receiving millions in funding from Chinese research agencies and not reporting it properly.

Portman and Carper – chairman and ranking member of the permanent subcommittee on investigations, respectively – received support from research universities for their proposed legislation.

This bill "will strengthen the security and integrity of our nation's scientific and research enterprise, something we at Ohio State take very seriously," said Morley O. Stone, senior vice president for research at Ohio State University in Columbus.

"Wright State University, as a productive research institution, strongly supports this legislation to ensure the protection of U.S. research and intellectual property against theft," said Sue Edwards, president of Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio.

One observer of the IP discussion said the U.S. should stay ahead of competitors.

"America could prevail through ingenuity and determination," commented Josh Malone on IPWatchdog.com. "If we increase the rate of innovation, we could constantly pump out superior technologies and stay ahead."

A self-described independent inventor using the handle Ternary commented that an improved patent system in the U.S. would spark innovation here.

"I am less worried about Chinese theft of my IP rights than the extraordinary difficulties and costs to establish my valid IP rights here," Ternary said. "We are our own worst enemy."

Others voiced concerns that the bill will interfere with scientific collaboration with other countries.

"Will the Safeguarding American Innovation Act end up being a bill to protect research and innovation on US campuses or a bill that will harm American science collaboration and economic interests?" tweeted Jordan LaCrosse, a lobbyist on Capitol Hill.

It’s tough to gain admission to Yale University, and it’s getting even tougher for international students as standout students from around the world set their sights on Yale.

The Yale Dale News, the campus newspaper, takes a look at the situation here.

Read the full story here.

Ruth Chane, a computer science major from Ethiopia, writes about her experiences settling into student life at Whitman College in the U.S. state of Washington.

"The community at Whitman College made sure I felt welcomed even before I stepped foot on campus," she says.

Read her essay here.

In The Student Life, the student newspaper for the Claremont Colleges, a consortium of five liberal art colleges and two graduate schools in Claremont, California, student Rochelle Lu writes about readjusting to her Shanghai home after spending a semester in the United States.

Read the full story here.

Cedarville University in the U.S. state of Ohio says it’s got more than 140 international students representing 44 countries.

Here, the school interviews Jonathan Sutton, director of international student services. He talks about his job and the opportunities for international students on campus.

Read the full article here.

Morehouse College, a private, historically Black liberal arts college in the U.S. state of Georgia, offers a guide for international students interested in attending the school.

Among the tips to apply and thrive at Morehouse:

• Take advantage of the school’s orientation program
• Turn to the school’s Center for Academic Success for tutoring, support and more
• Immerse yourself in campus life via clubs and societies

Read the full article here.