MI5 issues major warning to British universities over threat from China

The intelligence chiefs outlined how hostile foreign actors are attempting to manipulate academic research and influence what is taught at British universities, just days after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer returned from major talks in China with President Xi Jinping.

Sir Ken cautioned adversarial states are deploying sophisticated techniques to target scholars and students, seeking to "shape research and teaching content".

It was the largest such briefing MI5 has ever conducted with the higher education sector, and only the second warning of its kind issued to universities.

The briefing revealed that Chinese agents have been exploiting professional networking platforms, particularly LinkedIn, to approach and recruit university staff and students.

Financial inducements are also being offered to cultivate relationships with academics, according to the intelligence chiefs.

Influence weilded by China over British academia has been seen on full display in recent months.

Sheffield Hallam University last year instructed Professor Laura Murphy, a leading human rights scholar, to cease her research into forced labour in Xinjiang.

Internal documents suggested concerns that Beijing's criticism of the investigation was affecting Chinese student enrolment. The university subsequently apologised and committed to supporting her work.

At University College London, Professor Michelle Shipworth was also prevented from teaching a module mentioning China to protect commercial interests.

To help combat the threat, the Government is launching a new Academic Interference Reporting Route, backed by £3million in funding, enabling universities to flag suspicious foreign activity directly to security services.

Under the new system, vice-chancellors will be responsible for submitting concerns, which officials will then assess based on their severity before providing expert support where required.

The Department for Education will also consult the sector on establishing a proactive advisory service, while fresh guidance is being published to help students and staff recognise potential threats.

The secure portal forms part of a broader package of measures announced in November aimed at countering political interference and espionage in higher education.

Tim Bradshaw, chief executive of the Russell Group, welcomed the initiative: "The new single point of contact for advice on foreign interference will empower institutions to report and take action more swiftly and confidently, knowing there is support in place."

Baroness Jacqui Smith, the skills minister, emphasised the severity of the threat facing British academia.

"Our universities' world-class reputation makes them a prime target for foreign states and hostile actors, who seek to erode that reputation by shaping or censoring research and teaching," she said.

"Universities have complained to us that they've faced coercion and intimidation, including threats to cut off funding or pressure to influence teaching.

"The minister stressed that international collaboration must not compromise national security or British values.

"We must never accept a culture of self-censorship, where academics look over their shoulders before pursuing legitimate lines of inquiry," she wrote in The Telegraph.

"We are working together across government and with universities themselves to defend the UK's thriving academic environment. By working together and sharing information, we are standing united against political pressure from foreign state actors."

Security minister Dan Jarvis underscored the gravity of the situation, saying: "We have to be clear-eyed that our world-class universities and democratic processes are being targeted by states who want to undermine our way of life.

“That's why we're launching a new tool to help universities get support from security experts, as well as making sure people at the heart of our democracy know how to report foreign interference."

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