“This is important legislation and supported by universities, who increasingly face an uncertain security environment,” Universities Australia Chief Executive Catriona Jackson said.

“Security threats pose a serious challenge for our nation’s universities, so we congratulate the government for strengthening our response in increasingly uncertain times.”

“We are extremely pleased to see the government take on our feedback to narrow the scope of the definition of the ‘higher education and research critical infrastructure sector’ to specifically target critical research assets.”

“We are also encouraged to see that the University Foreign Interference Taskforce (UFIT) was recognised as meeting the risk management program obligations and there was not a need to switch on the provision.”

“Through the role of UFIT, universities continue to demonstrate solid commitment to identifying and managing risks associated with their critical infrastructure.”

“Universities Australia has a long history of working collaboratively and constructively with government on security matters and we will continue to do so in the interests of protecting the valuable national assets that our universities are.”