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Sunday, Jun 01, 2025
Outside the box.
Germany Proposes 'Exile Campus' for Harvard Students Amid U.S. Visa Restrictions
In response to U.S. policies affecting foreign student enrollment, Germany offers a campus for displaced Harvard students.
Germany has initiated plans to establish an 'exile campus' for students from Harvard University following recent policies enacted by the U.S. government aimed at restricting the admission of international students.
This initiative comes in light of measures taken by the Trump administration, which suspended over $2.2 billion in grants and contracts associated with Harvard and revoked authorization for the university to enroll foreign students.
Harvard’s international student body currently comprises over 25% of its total enrollment, with approximately 6,800 international students attending the university, representing more than 100 countries.
The administration's actions have raised significant concerns within the academic community regarding academic freedom and the future of higher education in the United States.
This response from Germany is part of a broader strategy to attract academic talent from the U.S. to Europe, as the White House has indicated intentions to purge what it describes as left-wing ideologies from elite American institutions.
President Trump has particularly targeted Harvard, criticizing its leadership for not complying with demands for audits related to its purported ideological influence.
Subsequently, federal agencies in the U.S. have been instructed to identify and cancel contracts with Harvard by early June.
While a federal judge recently blocked the enforcement of the visa restrictions, criticism from the Trump administration persists.
The administration has directed U.S. embassies to pause student visa application interviews while considering a social vetting process for prospective foreign students.
President Trump has expressed a desire to scrutinize the backgrounds of these students, stating that some come from countries not seen as friendly to the U.S.
Further complicating matters, Kristi Noem, the Secretary of Homeland Security, accused Harvard of supporting antisemitism and alleged collusion with the Chinese Communist Party, claiming the university trained members of a Chinese paramilitary group as recent as 2024.
In response to these developments, Harvard President Alan M. Garber issued a statement characterizing the revocation of foreign student enrollment as part of a concerted effort to retaliate against the university for maintaining its academic autonomy.
He described the government's actions as unlawful, stating that the university has filed a complaint and plans to seek a temporary restraining order.
Garber emphasized the commitment to supporting affected students and scholars during this period.
This initiative comes in light of measures taken by the Trump administration, which suspended over $2.2 billion in grants and contracts associated with Harvard and revoked authorization for the university to enroll foreign students.
Harvard’s international student body currently comprises over 25% of its total enrollment, with approximately 6,800 international students attending the university, representing more than 100 countries.
The administration's actions have raised significant concerns within the academic community regarding academic freedom and the future of higher education in the United States.
This response from Germany is part of a broader strategy to attract academic talent from the U.S. to Europe, as the White House has indicated intentions to purge what it describes as left-wing ideologies from elite American institutions.
President Trump has particularly targeted Harvard, criticizing its leadership for not complying with demands for audits related to its purported ideological influence.
Subsequently, federal agencies in the U.S. have been instructed to identify and cancel contracts with Harvard by early June.
While a federal judge recently blocked the enforcement of the visa restrictions, criticism from the Trump administration persists.
The administration has directed U.S. embassies to pause student visa application interviews while considering a social vetting process for prospective foreign students.
President Trump has expressed a desire to scrutinize the backgrounds of these students, stating that some come from countries not seen as friendly to the U.S.
Further complicating matters, Kristi Noem, the Secretary of Homeland Security, accused Harvard of supporting antisemitism and alleged collusion with the Chinese Communist Party, claiming the university trained members of a Chinese paramilitary group as recent as 2024.
In response to these developments, Harvard President Alan M. Garber issued a statement characterizing the revocation of foreign student enrollment as part of a concerted effort to retaliate against the university for maintaining its academic autonomy.
He described the government's actions as unlawful, stating that the university has filed a complaint and plans to seek a temporary restraining order.
Garber emphasized the commitment to supporting affected students and scholars during this period.
