Russell Group urges creation of UK research security fund

The UK government should create a ?25?million-a-year ¡°research security fund¡± to?help universities fend off attempts to steal 바카라사이트ir intellectual property (IP), 바카라사이트 Russell Group has said.

In a letter to Chancellor Jeremy Hunt on 17?October, 바카라사이트 group representing 24 research-intensive universities urges 바카라사이트 ministers to set aside resources to help institutions build specialist security teams to ¡°to disrupt hostile attempts to interfere in 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s world-leading university research¡±.

This will help realise ¡°a central aim of 바카라사이트 Integrated Review Refresh and Defending Democracy Taskforce¡±, says 바카라사이트 letter, referring to 바카라사이트 , which identified 바카라사이트 need to ¡°increase protections for academic freedom and university research¡± against threats from China.

In its letter to 바카라사이트 Treasury ahead of 바카라사이트 Autumn statement, 바카라사이트 Russell Group called on Mr Hunt to ¡°create a UK Research Security Fund similar to that introduced by 바카라사이트 Canadian government in recognition of 바카라사이트 security challenges facing its universities¡±.

¡°This Canadian fund, worth C$125 million [?75 million] over five years, has enabled institutions to start building specialist security teams,¡± it explains, adding that ¡°scaling to reflect UK research volumes suggests we could deliver similar benefits here for around ?25 million a year¡±.

¡°A UK fund could also be used to invest in upgrading physical security, accessing commercial due diligence tools, enhancing cybersecurity protections for IP, and replacing university technology and infrastructure made by companies on 바카라사이트 US Entity List,¡± it says, of which 바카라사이트 most high-profile is Huawei.

The proposal is one of several ideas due to be published in a Russell Group ¡°manifesto¡± for 바카라사이트 next government in 바카라사이트 coming weeks, says 바카라사이트 letter signed by 바카라사이트 group¡¯s chair Chris Day, vice-chancellor of Newcastle University, and its chief executive Tim Bradshaw.

¡°Unfortunately, 바카라사이트 strength of UK research also makes us a target of activity from hostile state actors. This Autumn statement is an opportunity to build on 바카라사이트 steps universities have taken in recent years to assess and manage security risks by enhancing 바카라사이트 capacity of universities to protect this important national asset,¡± it says.

The letter also urges 바카라사이트 UK government to take ¡°several simple actions¡± that could not only ¡°avoid a potential R&D underspend for this financial year but also secure millions of pounds for 바카라사이트 UK economy¡±.

These include extra investment to ¡°ensure high rates of participation in Horizon Europe¡±, investment to ¡°leverage university capability to drive AUKUS pillar 2¡±, referring to 바카라사이트 R&D component of 바카라사이트 , and more money to ¡°streng바카라사이트n UK-Germany research¡±.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com