Точка Синхронізації

The UK government, led by Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden and Science Secretary Michelle Donelan, issued a formal directive to British universities on Monday, May 13, 2024, requiring them to report suspected cases of foreign interference to the security services. This new mandate aims to protect national security and academic integrity following growing concerns that higher education institutions have become prime targets for hostile actors seeking to steal sensitive research and intellectual property. The initiative requires vice-chancellors to collaborate directly with MI5 and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) to safeguard critical sectors such as quantum computing, artificial intelligence, and biotechnology. Under the new security framework, universities will be subject to more rigorous vetting processes for research partnerships and funding sources. Government ministers highlighted that while international collaboration is a cornerstone of the British academic system, the openness of these institutions has been exploited by foreign states—most notably China, Russia, and Iran—to influence campus activities and illicitly acquire high-end technology. To combat this, the government is establishing a new Research Collaboration Advice Team (RCAT) to provide institutions with expert guidance on identifying potential threats and managing high-risk relationships with overseas entities. The move follows a series of warnings from intelligence agencies regarding the 'securitization' of global academia. Officials noted that some foreign students and visiting academics have been used as conduits for state-sponsored espionage, leading to the potential erosion of the UK's competitive advantage in science and technology. By integrating university leadership more closely with MI5, the government hopes to create a 'ring of steel' around pioneer research projects, ensuring that UK taxpayers' investments do not inadvertently fuel the military or surveillance capabilities of autocratic regimes.