Universities told to report foreign interference on campus to MI5

"University bosses have been told by ministers to report threats of foreign interference directly to the government and security services. Skills Minister Jacqui Smith said UK universities had become "a prime target for foreign states and hostile actors". She said the government did "not take this lightly" and would spend 3m on measures including a new secure platform for vice-chancellors and designated security leaders at universities to report suspicious approaches or interference."

"It comes after senior leaders at 70 universities attended a briefing with MI5 director general Sir Ken McCallum to discuss what interference might look like, such as censoring research and intimidating staff. The UK-China Transparency (UKCT) think tank said its survey of China studies academics had found reports of Chinese government officials warning lecturers to avoid discussing certain topics in their classes. Some academics also reported intimidation by visiting scholars or other Chinese officials, as well as by staff at Confucius Institutes."

"The Chinese embassy in London at the time called the UKCT report's findings "groundless and absurd", adding that China respects freedom of speech in the UK and elsewhere. Laura Murphy, a professor of human rights and contemporary slavery, said at the time that the university had "negotiated directly with a foreign intelligence service to trade my academic freedom for access to the Chinese student market". Sheffield Hallam apologised to Murphy. The Chinese embassy criticised some of the university's work on Xinjiang as being "seriously flawed"."

Ministers instructed university bosses to report threats of foreign interference directly to the government and security services. The government allocated £3m to measures including a secure reporting platform and designated security leaders at universities. Senior leaders from 70 universities attended an MI5 briefing on interference scenarios such as censoring research and intimidating staff. A UK-China Transparency survey found China studies academics reported Chinese government officials warning lecturers to avoid certain topics, and instances of intimidation by visiting scholars and Confucius Institute staff. The Chinese embassy rejected the findings as "groundless and absurd" and defended freedom of speech. Sheffield Hallam apologised to an academic who alleged compromised academic freedom.

Read at www.bbc.com