Scottish universities have accepted millions of pounds from Chinese organisations with alleged links to the military, human rights abuses and spying, The Ferret can reveal.

Some universities accepted money from companies and institutions with ties to the People's Liberation Army in China, including those which are sanctioned by other countries.

Other universities took funding from institutions and tech firms accused of helping the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) spy on and target users, spread misinformation and abuse human rights.

The director-general of MI5 last year warned vice-chancellors that China and other states the UK Government views as adversaries are attempting to steal technology from universities that can "deliver their authoritarian, military and commercial priorities".

The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China said The Ferret's research suggests that funding from CCP-linked organisations in Scottish higher education is particularly prevalent. This, it claimed "should be a matter of deep concern for ministers and the wider Scottish public".

However the Chinese Embassy in London has accused critics and media outlets of "politicising and stigmatising normal educational exchanges between the two countries". It has denied the use of subversive tactics abroad and argues that research collaboration with UK universities has "enhanced mutual understanding".

The Ferret asked Scotland's universities to disclose funding they received from Chinese organisations between 2020/21 and 2024/25.

The fact that money is still being allowed to flow without being flagged should be a matter of deep concern for ministers and the wider Scottish public.

Luke de Pulford, Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China

Ten universities collectively received at least £39.7m of funding. Of that, £5.5m came from organisations allegedly linked to the military, human rights abuses or spying, or was used to fund controversial Confucius Institutes. These are CCP-funded educational and cultural programs on UK campuses which have been accused of monitoring and censoring UK students, and pushing propaganda.

Dundee university refused The Ferret's request while others withheld some information which, they argued, was commercially sensitive. As such, the true total could be higher.

Edinburgh university received more than £11m in research funding from unnamed Chinese organisations but it did not provide further detail. The university said it was not feasible to provide a complete list of possible funding from China.

Some of Edinburgh Napier University's funding, £1.2m, came from unnamed Chinese partners for transnational education programmes. St Andrews university would only provide funding information for named organisations, rather than any from China.

Military links

Some universities accepted money from Chinese organisations with military ties.

Strathclyde university received £130,000 in research funding from Wuxi Paike New Materials Technology, which makes metal forgings for the Chinese military.

Strathclyde did not specify when it received the money from the firm, which was sanctioned by the US Government in December 2020 due to its military links.

Strathclyde also accepted £22,100 for "research studentship/knowledge exchange" from the Chinese Academy of Sciences on an undisclosed date. The academy is designated "medium risk" by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), due to its alleged weapons research. ASPI is a defence think tank founded by the Australian Government.

It has been described as having a hawkish stance on China and has received funding from the overseas governments, including the US and UK, as well as the defence industry.

In 2020, a drone submarine developed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences was found by an Indonesian fisherman in the South China Sea and thought to be on a possible covert mission by military observers.

The following year, in October 2021, Robert Gordon University (RGU) was given £46,820 by the academy to research...