What is Research Security?
Research security is identifying possible risks to scholarly research practices through unwanted access, interference or theft and the measures that can be taken to minimize these risks and protect research inputs, processes and products.
How does the VPRI support research security?
The Division of the Vice-President, Research & Innovation has a dedicated Research Security Team (RST) who provide advice and support to researchers, academic administrators, staff, and trainees on funding applications, sponsor requirements, and institutional decision-making by assessing risks through the lens of research security, informed by national security, and geopolitical security evidence.
What do I need before I can begin?
No prior information is required to begin.
Please Note
Updated March 28, 2024: The federal government has released new requirements related to research security for all new funding applications to the Tri-Agencies and the Canada Foundation for Innovation that involve conducting research aimed at advancing a sensitive technology research area. For further details, see the updated New Requirements for Federal Research Funding – Policy on Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern.
List of Topics
To safeguard Canadian research, the Government of Canada has developed requirements and guidelines to address research security concerns. Some provinces, including Ontario, and international jurisdictions, are undertaking similar measures. As part of the Government’s approach, Canadian universities are playing an active role in ensuring the integrity of Canada’s world-class research environment.
The University recognizes that research security is an evolving area. VPRI is committed to supporting our research community in this changing landscape to enable research activities that balance security awareness with open academic collaboration. In this work, the RST centres the University’s principles of transparency, academic freedom, and equity, diversity, and inclusion.
The RST performs the following activities, in addition to others, to support research security.
- Collaborating on research security requirements for funding programs
- Providing advice on institutional international research and innovation agreements
- Providing advice on industry/sponsored research agreements
- In collaboration with other central offices, providing support for international service agreements, international visiting faculty, PhD and post-doctoral fellows
- Participating in discussions with other academic institutions and government stakeholders to support the development and implementation of best practices
If you have questions about cyber security or how to manage and protect data sets, please contact the Research Information Security Program team or see Information Security.
- Provide support in conducting research security due diligence and partner vetting
- Provide guidance and support with research risk assessments and attestation forms
- Provide advice on international research / service agreements
- Provide advice on industry/sponsored research agreements
- In collaboration with other central offices, provide advice for international visiting faculty, PhDs, and post-doctoral fellows
- Provide outreach and training on best practices for safeguarding research
- Communicate updates on research security requirements
Staff
General Inquiries: Research Security
Safeguarding Your Research >(Government of Canada)
Guidelines and Tools to Implement Research Security >(Government of Canada)
Protect Your Research - Ontario >(Government of Canada)
G7 Best Practices for Secure and Open Research >(Government of Canada)
Introduction to Research Security Training >(Government of Canada)
