Education, Higher - As enacted, requires each public institution of higher education to establish a policy framework to promote the security of academic research conducted at the institution to mitigate against the risk of foreign influence. - Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 7.

This bill requires public universities in Tennessee to create specific plans that protect their academic research from foreign influence. To achieve this, each institution must appoint a research security officer responsible for handling sensitive information and monitoring potential foreign interference. The law also mandates that these security plans follow federal rules to ensure schools keep their eligibility for government funding. Additionally, the state's university and community college systems can choose to share a single security officer across multiple campuses.