UK ministers have instructed university leaders to report suspected foreign interference directly to MI5 and allocated £3 million for a secure reporting platform and designated security leads, following a sector briefing with the agency. Skills Minister Jacqui Smith and MI5 director general Sir Ken McCallum warned institutions that hostile actors may seek to censor research, intimidate staff, or influence campus programs. The move follows investigations into alleged pressure on China‑studies academics and controversy around Confucius Institutes; higher‑education regulators said they will work with universities to address rising threats to academic freedom and campus integrity.