Description

The Research Security Centre will be hosting a series of 6 safeguarding science webinars between July and December 2024. The webinars aim to assist participants:

• access guidance and tools to strengthen security posture
• understand best practices to identify and mitigate research security threats
• pursue and maintain safe research partnerships
• maintain institutional reputation of a safe research organization
• protect valuable research, data or potentially patentable property.

The webinars are intended for, but not limited to, researchers, research staff including technicians, postdoctoral fellow and students, research security professionals, research administrators, information technology and information management staff, security personnel, biosafety and radiological safety officers, human resources personnel, supply chain personnel and senior management.

Upcoming Workshops

For registration and specific workshop dates see Safeguarding Science Initiative (publicsafety.gc.ca).

Module 1: Safeguarding Science: Raising awareness of security risks and mitigation tools in the research ecosystem 

The purpose of the Safeguarding Science workshop is to raise awareness within Canada's scientific and academic communities about research security-related issues. The primary objective of this workshop is to explain the potential for misuse of dual-use research, technology and materials, along with possible risk indicators and mitigation tools to protect Canadian research assets.

Module 2: Dual-Use Technologies: Know Your Research – Know your Partners – Assess the Risk

The module elaborates on dual-use technologies and research with specific examples. These examples highlight the complex nature of dual-use technologies, and ways to recognize their sensitivities. The outcome of the module will enhance understanding of the dual-use nature of any research, whether in STEM or social sciences, and give front-line researchers and institutions tools to perform their due diligence and evaluate risks appropriately.

Module 3: Demystifying the International Student Immigration Process

The purpose of this presentation is to provide insight on the immigration process for international students and to explain how prospective applicants are security screened for admissibility. The presentation will provide an overview on the immigration forms, supporting documents and requirements for a study permit. The roles and responsibilities of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and its security screening partners will be detailed. Case studies are included within the presentation to help demonstrate the process.

Module 4: Know before you Export: Canada’s Export and Brokering Controls

The presentation aims to increase knowledge about Canada’s export controls regime, what is controlled and why; explain how research institutions and academia may be subject to export controls; show how to apply for an export permit; and provide a list of resources and contacts for reference.