Cambridge University has been briefed on the risk of foreign powers trying to steal their research by the MI5 and the UK Government.

Last Thursday (25/04), MI5 warned vice-chancellors that sensitive research could be vulnerable to theft by hostile states intent on developing their own military and economic abilities.

At the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden also announced government plans for a consultation on additional measures to protect universities against security threats.

While there was no direct reference made to individual states at the meeting, Parliament’s intelligence and security committee has previously warned that China could be gaining undue influence in British research.

Last September, Cambridge University was found to have accepted over £2 million from BIACD, one of China’s leading manufacturers of military drones. In November, it was found that Cambridge University received over £26 million in research funding from Huawei, a Chinese telecoms company considered a security risk by the UK government.

Amid growing concerns that foreign powers could attempt to steal research from UK universities, the consultation aims to improve security around technology still under development and research with dual-use capabilities in both military and civilian life.

Tim Bradshaw, chief executive of the Russell Group, commented that Russell Group universities “already work closely with the government and the intelligence community” in efforts to protect ’“UK breakthroughs in fields like AI”.

“We also recognise security is a dynamic and evolving challenge, which means we need the right expertise and intelligence to keep pace with this,” Bradshaw continued.