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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships [3]

Description

Following on the National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships [4] that was originally released by the Government of Canada on July 12, 2021, which resulted in changes to the NSERC Alliance program for grant applications involving one or more private sector partners, NSERC has shared an updated Risk Assessment Form (RAF) for the National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships. The updated RAF is posted on the Safeguarding Your Research [5] portal and is the only version of the form accepted by NSERC as of May 1st, 2023. 

This iteration of the RAF was developed with feedback from the research community, including consultations with members of the Government of Canada-Universities Working Group. It has been streamlined to increase clarity and usability. Please consult the summary of changes [6].

As such, the Research Services (RSO) has revised the internal  Guide for Completing the National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships’ Risk Assessment Form - NSERC Alliance [2]. This resource can be utilized by U of G faculty in completing the questions associated with the risk assessment form, and the associated risk mitigation plan, if applicable, to gain a better understanding of the risks associated with their research project and/or partnerships.

The National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships requirements are to ensure the Canadian research ecosystem is as open as possible and as safeguarded, as necessary. These guidelines were introduced to integrate national security considerations into the development, evaluation, and funding of research partnerships.

All applications being prepared in NSERC’s online system [7] require completion of the National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships’ risk assessment form [8] if the grant applications include one or more private sector partner. This requirement includes industrial associations and producer groups (classified as not-for-profit) whose members are from the private sector.

Additional Resources

• The University of Guelph’s Safeguarding Research website [9]
• Public Safety Canada Safeguarding Science [10]

Special Notes

Please note that research activities carried out in the context of COVID-19 need to adhere to the University of Guelph COVID-19 research principles, policies, guidelines and processes as they may be updated from time to time and communicated on the Office of Research web-page [11].