Concordia University of Edmonton (CUE) supports faculty members pursuing research partnerships that enhance the scope and impact of our work. While partnerships can be highly beneficial, they also bring increased security risk to our research efforts. Our goal at CUE is to maintain a secure research environment while fostering the trust of our research community and supporting a collaborative environment essential to advancing research.
| Research security refers to the identification of risks to research practices through unwanted access, interference or theft of intellectual property or research products, and the measures taken to minimize these risks and protect inputs, processes, and products of research. |
Effectively safeguarding research requires the collective commitment of our CUE community. From faculty and researchers to staff and students, we recognize that protecting our scholarly work is a shared responsibility. To support secure research at Canadian research institutions, the Government of Canada has developed new procedures and guidance to enhance research security nationally. CUE supports these new measures (outlined below), which will assist us in identifying risks and protecting our research efforts.
Applies to the following granting agency programs:
- NSERC Alliance (Advantage and Society)
- Canada Biomedical Research Fund (CBRF) and Biosciences Research Infrastructure Fund (BRIF)
- Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI)
Requirements:
- If the proposed research grant includes a private sector partnership, researchers must complete a Risk Assessment Form, a tool to identify and assess potential risks that the partnership(s) may pose to Canada’s national security, and to develop effective mitigation measures.
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Applies to all federal granting agency programs and the CFI effective May 01, 2024
Requirements:
- Funding applications involving research that advances a sensitive technology research area will not be funded if any of the researchers involved in activities supported by the grant are affiliated with, or in receipt of funding or in-kind support, from a university, research institute or laboratory connected to military, national defence, or state security entities that could pose a risk to Canada’s national security (Named Research Organizations).
- Researchers advancing a sensitive technology research area must complete an attestation form indicating they are not affiliated with a Named Research Organization.
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Research security is an evolving area. The ORI is committed to providing advice and support around research security for researchers, trainees and academic administrators pursuing funding for research. We are able to assist you in the following areas:
- Conducting research security due diligence and partner vetting;
- Completing risk assessment and attestation forms to meet sponsor requirements;
- Providing education around best practices for safeguarding research;
- Keeping you up to date on research security requirements.
The following resources will further assist you in identifying and addressing potential risks that may accompany research partnerships:
Government of Canada:
- Safeguarding Your Research
- Foreign Interference and You
- Security Considerations for Research and Development
- Conducting Open Source Due Diligence for Safeguarding Research Partnerships
- CSIS Safeguarding Your Research Checklist
- Cyber Security Guidelines
Universities Canada:
- Mitigating economic and/or geopolitical risks in sensitive research projects
- Travel security guide for university researchers and staff
Please review the resources for safeguarding your research and conta