Australia has strengthened its university foreign interference guidelines to protect students, staff, and research by assisting the process of better identifying and responding to risks. Australia’s education institutions will be required to assess staff at risk of foreign interference. These identified individuals will be required to reveal any links to foreign governments, military, or intelligence organisations. Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews said espionage and foreign interference posed a challenge to Australia’s democracy. “These updated guidelines are more important than ever—with international students set to return to many Australian jurisdictions soon, we need to ensure our university campuses embody the free, open, transparent debate that is so vital to an Australian education, and to our way of life,” Andrews said. Education Minister Alan Tudge said the guidelines will ensure Australia’s researchers, some of the world’s leading academics, are protected. “We have seen that Australian universities are a target for foreign interference …