To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of continuing to pursue partnerships with Chinese Defence Universities.
Answered on
8 May 2025
The UK welcomes international partnerships, including with China, which make a positive impact on the UK’s higher education (HE) sector, our economy and society as a whole. However, we will always protect our national security interests, human rights and values.
This government will take a consistent, long term and strategic approach to managing the UK’s relations with China, rooted in UK and global interests. We will co-operate where we can, compete where we need to and challenge where we must. The department is contributing towards the government’s audit of the UK’s relationship with China as a bilateral and global actor, to improve our ability to understand and respond to the challenges and opportunities China poses.
Any international arrangements made by registered HE providers in England must be within the law and must comply with the registration conditions set by the Office for Students, including a commitment to their public interest governance principles. To support universities to maximise the opportunities of international collaboration whilst managing any risks, the government offers practical advice through the National Protective Security Authority, the National Cyber Security Centre and the Research Collaboration and Advice Team. The department works alongside these partners and engages directly with the sector to increase their understanding of any risks and their ability to respond to them.