Italy is preparing a plan to shield its universities and research from foreign influence, a government undersecretary said on Thursday, to prevent other nations from obtaining valuable scientific and technological knowledge.

There was evidence of hostile agents using “increasingly sophisticated strategies” to gain access to Italy’s most advanced knowledge, Alfredo Mantovano, a senior undersecretary in charge of intelligence matters, told a news conference.

The most affected technology sectors are biomedicine, robotics and semiconductors," said Mantovano, a close aide to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, citing sponsorships and donations as among the vulnerable areas deserving attention.