In limited circumstances, certain activities involving a direction from a ‘foreign power’ (defined to include non-UK central and local governments, governmental authorities and government-controlled entities) will need to be registered.
The Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS) is a scheme designed to enhance transparency around foreign influence in the UK by requiring certain arrangements or activities with foreign powers to be registered with the government. Compliance with FIRS is required by law (under the National Security Act 2023), and the scheme came into force on 1 July 2025.
Why FIRS is relevant to universities
FIRS has a range of implications for UK universities. It can apply to research projects, funding arrangements, and collaborations which involve a direction from a foreign power or entity (as defined under the scheme). Universities, as well as individual students, researchers and/or student societies, must register arrangements with foreign powers if they involve political influence activity, or if the foreign power has been specified by the UK government.
The UK government has published extensive guidance on FIRS for the academic and research sector, and the University has also provided examples of what is and isn't registerable.
The government's Education Hub has also published some useful Q&As for universities.
Scheme requirements
There are two different registration tiers under FIRS. Any pre-existing arrangements must be registered within three months of the scheme coming into force.
The two tiers are:
- The political influence tier - requires the registration of arrangements to carry out political influence activities in the UK at the direction of a foreign power or entity (see definitions). New agreements must be registered within 28 days of the formal or informal agreement governing the activity being entered into.
- The enhanced tier requires the registration of any activities (not just political influence activities) within the UK at the direction of a specified foreign power (see definitions). Currently, the specified foreign powers are Russia and Iran. Activity cannot begin until the formal or informal agreement governing the activity has been registered, and it must be registered within 10 days of the agreement being made.
For more information on what is covered under the two tiers, including examples, and the definitions you need to understand to determine whether an activity is registerable, please see the new dedicated FIRS webpages.
All staff and students must comply with the requirements of FIRS. If you need help or think an activity may need to be registered under FIRS, contact firs@sussex.ac.uk.