Heightened security to be introduced in universities to protect nation’s interests
In a bid to combat foreign interference, a new taskforce has been established amid increased concerns about the Chinese government targeting the nation’s tertiary institutions.
National
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Australia’s security agencies are to work with the nation’s universities to help combat foreign interference on campuses.
Amid rising concerns about the Chinese government targeting Australia’s universities, Education Minister Dan Tehan will on Wednesday announce the creation of a University Foreign Interference Taskforce, made up of representatives of the universities, education bureaucrats and Australia’s spy agencies.
The taskforce will allow the universities to work closely with ASIO, the Australian Signals Directorate and Home Affairs staff.
The move comes amid heightened concerns about universities’ increasing dependence on foreign students and the proliferation of institutes paid for by money tied to the Chinese government.
The taskforce will have a number of areas of focus, including a cyber security team that will work to make sure universities’ IT systems are “resilient to unauthorised access, manipulation, distortion or damage”, to protect networks and respond to attacks.
The taskforce will also make sure Australian intellectual property is protected from “deception, undue influence, unauthorised disclosure or disruption to our research”.
Universities are to be encouraged to work with security agencies to make sure collaboration with foreign entities is “transparent and in a manner that avoids harm to Australia’s national interests”.
In a bid to address concerns about academic freedom in the wake of the Peter Ridd unfair dismissal case at James Cook University, Mr Tehan will also announce that students will be asked survey questions about freedom of expression.
The minister wants universities to also survey staff on the matter.
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“I believe universities want to know if students and staff are afraid to discuss certain topics” as it is “only through diversity of thinking, perspective and intellectual style that we get innovation and problem solving”.
Mr Tehan’s speech will coincide with the release of former Victorian premier Denis Napthine’s review into regional, rural and remote education.
The review calls for improved access to tertiary study for students outside the cities and greater financial support for lower socio-economic students, indigenous students and students with a disability.
Originally published as Heightened security to be introduced in universities to protect nation’s interests