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Aussie universities fear Trump's immigration ban will affect research collaboration

Xinhua, January 31, 2017 Adjust font size:

U.S. President Donald Trump's immigration ban is causing concern amongst Australian universities on Tuesday, with Nobel laureate and Vice Chancellor of the Australian Nation University, Brian Schmidt joining a growing number of academics uneasy about the effects the executive order may have on research collaboration.

"It is such a globalized world, and when things like this happen within the United States, it affects everyone," Schmidt told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

"We have many people from these countries (Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen), so it just makes the ability to do business as usual within research and academia very difficult."

Universities Australia Chief Executive Belinda Robinson has also stated her concerns after Australian TV presenter and dual Australian-Sudanese citizen confirmed she will not take part in a U.S. conference in March, where she was expected to be the keynote speaker on multiculturalism.

"In any conversations that we have with the government around this, we'll obviously be drawing to their attention the concerns that we have about the potential impact," Robinson said.

One Australian resident and Iranian citizen was also prevented from travelling to the United States on the weekend, to visit her son who is a PHD candidate.

The executive order will last for 90 days and not affect Australians with a dual citizenship. Endit