ROME - Italy’s government has pledged decisive action amongst growing concern about espionage in universities. This concern is directly aimed at hostiles states such as China, Russia and Iran, as written by Il Messaggero.

 Measures to combat espionage are expected to be announced on Thursday morning at the Palazzo Chigi. The announcement will be made by the Minister of Universities and Research, Anna Maria Bernini, the Undersecretary to the Presidency of the Council, Alfredo Mantovano, together with Giovanna Iannantuoni, President of the CRUI (Conference of Rectors of Italian Universities) and Antonio Zoccoli, President of CONPER (National Consultation of Presidents of Research Institutions.)

 The particular concern relates to cross-university exchange agreements which have been shown to produce unwanted transfers of knowledge and technologies. It is expected that the government’s new initiative will provide significant strengthening of monitoring and response capabilities by national intelligence agencies.

This new initiative resembles the government's “golden power” which relates to special powers exercised by the government in the economic sphere in order to protect national interests. As well as the “Made in Italy” initiative which seeks to protect semi-conductors, design and medicinal products. This suggests the importance that the government is now associating with university knowledge and research as paramount national assets.

 The Italian initiative was inspired by the recommendation issued by the European Council last March, which calls for an overall strengthening of the Member States' capacities to protect research and higher education. The Italian strategy, however, stands out from other eurpean initiatives given its path for rapid intervention by the intelligence agencies which aims to create a safe academic environment protected from unauthorized external influences.

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