Spy chiefs could vet academics to prevent hostile states infiltrating UK campuses and stealing sensitive research.

Ministers are reviewing options to root out spies after discovering higher education institutions are being targeted.

These include MI5 checking security clearances for 'key personnel' at universities. Deputy PM Oliver Dowden met the vice-chancellors of 24 leading universities including Cambridge and Oxford yesterday to brief them on the espionage threat.

The director general of MI5 and head of the National Cyber Security Centre also emphasised the dangers from foreign powers at the meeting.

Mr Dowden said: 'For a millennium, our universities have thrived on being open. Open to ideas, open to innovation, open to being independent of government.

Trinity College at Cambridge University. Ministers are reviewing options to root out spies after discovering higher education institutions are being targeted. These include MI5 checking security clearances for 'key personnel' at universities

MI5 headquarters in London. The director general of MI5 and head of the National Cyber Security Centre also emphasised the dangers from foreign powers at the meeting

Ministers have been under pressure to take stronger action to prevent Chinese influence in particular amid warnings Beijing is gaining undue influence over the academic sector (stock image)

'This is not about erecting fences, this is about balancing evolving threats and protecting the integrity and security of our great institutions.'

The deputy PM will now launch a consultation exercise to protect technology being developed in sensitive sectors and to reduce the dependency of institutions on foreign investment.

The measures will be focused on a small proportion of academic work, with a particular focus on research with potential dual uses in civilian and military life. More funding could be given to the Research Collaboration Advice Team, a government unit that provides advice to universities on the national security risks linked to international research.

Ministers have been under pressure to take stronger action to prevent Chinese influence in particular amid warnings Beijing is gaining undue influence over the academic sector.

Officials are even looking into whether hostile states could use Chinese-made electric cars to gather intelligence. Campaigners reacted with cautious optimism to the announcement.

Oliver Dowden (pictured) will now launch a consultation exercise to protect technology being developed in sensitive sectors and to reduce the dependency of institutions on foreign investment

Luke de Pulford, of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, said: 'The elephant in the room is our dependence on fees from Chinese students. Until our universities have a more resilient funding model, we will remain exposed to Beijing's influence.

'Moreover, there's no plan to shut down nefarious [Beijing-connected] Confucius Institutes, which Rishi Sunak pledged to close on day one of his premiership – and then didn't. The Deputy PM's plans are a step in the right direction, but are totally inadequate to address the severity of the problem.'

Vivienne Stern, head of Universities UK, said: 'This consultation is an important next step, and we will gather views from all 142 universities in our membership to help government develop the right approach.'