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Universities could be forced to declare all overseas donations in a crackdown on foreign powers buying influence.
An amendment proposed to the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill would force universities to disclose the names of any foreign donors giving more than £50,000.
The Office for Students watchdog would publish the names on an annual register. The aim is to restore public trust and shine a light on potential conflicts of interest.
Ministers last year launched a probe into whether academics at universities receiving money from China were passing sensitive information to Beijing.
This included British technology that could be used to aid the repression of minorities.
Linacre College will become Thao College following a multi-million pound donation by Vietnamese billionaire Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao, who made her money through budget airlines. The college was founded in 1962 and named after Thomas Linacre, a renowned 15th century English scholar, humanist and physician
An amendment proposed to the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill would force universities to disclose the names of any foreign donors giving more than £50,000. The amendment to the bill, which is currently going through Parliament, was tabled by Tory MP Jesse Norman (pictured)
Many universities rely on money from Chinese students. Some have previously refused to name foreign donors because of contractual deals and commercial sensitivity.
The amendment to the bill, which is currently going through Parliament, was tabled by Tory MP Jesse Norman.
The motion is seconded by MPs Sir Robert Buckland, Damian Green and Robert Halfon, the chairman of the Commons Education Select Committee.
