UK academics will be offered confidential advice from government before entering overseas research partnerships, in a drive to tackle the rising threat of espionage and intellectual property theft by “hostile actors” such as China.

The creation of a Research Collaboration Advice Team, announced on Tuesday, follows warnings from think-tanks and security experts about British universities pursuing risky ties with Chinese companies and research institutions. Areas that could have both civilian and military applications, including aerospace and robotics, are regarded as particularly sensitive.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, which will manage the unit, said threats to science and research are “growing, evolving and increasingly complex”. If “left unchecked”, collaborations with hostile states could leave the UK vulnerable to “disruption, unfair leverage, and espionage”, the Beis statement added.