Scotland China Brief is reproducing below in full the letter sent by Alyn Smith, the Scottish Government’s new Minister for Innovation, Technology and Tertiary Education, following an MI5 advisory note about The China General Technology Research Institute (CGTRI).

MI5 Espionage Alert – The China General Technology Research Institute

Dear Vice-Chancellors,

I understand that you will have received correspondence from the Rt Hon Dan Jarvis MBE MP, Security Minister, on 30 September 2026, drawing your attention to the alert published on the MI5 website that day regarding the risks posed by the China General Technology Research Institute.

The Scottish Government takes this alert seriously. We continue to work closely with the UK Government, the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) and the higher education sector to increase awareness of foreign interference risks, research security risks, and to strengthen institutional resilience.

I strongly encourage you to consider the advice provided by the Home Office and, where appropriate, to seek advice from the Research Collaboration Advice Team (RCAT) or through relevant sector channels, including Universities UK (UUK). Alongside the RCAT research security support available, if you have broader concerns regarding a foreign state acting in a deceptive, corrupt and/or coercive way to interfere in the decision making or wider activities of your institution, you can raise these confidentially to the UK Government’s Academic Interference Reporting Route. We will also work with Universities Scotland to support the effective sharing of relevant information across the Scottish sector.

I recognise that this alert may cause particular concern for institutions directly affected, as well as for those managing existing or prospective international partnerships. It is important that institutions are able to identify and manage security risks effectively while continuing to pursue responsible international collaboration.

Strong global relationships, including our academic and research links with China, make an important contribution to Scotland’s education, skills and research sector. Protecting those relationships means ensuring that international engagement is underpinned by appropriate due diligence, robust risk management and access to the latest security advice.

While Scottish universities are autonomous institutions, and national security is reserved to the UK Government, we see a clear role in both actively seeking assurance and monitoring emerging risks through the SFC, consistent with the commitments set out in our International Education Strategy.

I appreciate that Scottish universities are already participating in UK-wide ministerial, security and sector briefings and drawing on the advice available to manage emerging risks. My officials will continue to work with UK Government departments, the SFC and sector partners to ensure Scottish institutions have access to relevant and timely information and advice.

Kind regards,

Alyn Smith MSP
Minister for Innovation, Technology and Tertiary Education