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By Cate Willis
The University of Guelph is taking a proactive and comprehensive approach to research security by fostering a culture of awareness, diligence and research excellence among its research community while ensuring alignment with evolving regulatory requirements.
In January 2024, the federal government introduced policies to safeguard Canadian research and listed sensitive technology research areas and specific research organizations that researchers should not be affiliated with if they want to apply for government funding.
These policies include new requirements for sensitive research areas including those advancing artificial intelligence, defence technologies, robotics and surveillance to ensure better oversight and protection of sensitive information.
“The federal government has decided to stop providing funding for certain types of research projects where there are affiliations with any of over 100 institutions around the world that it believes could pose a threat to national security,” says Jennifer Wesley, manager, research risk, at U of G.
In anticipation of the new guidelines, U of G hired a research security specialist. The research security specialist develops and promotes research security processes and practices by advising the university community on potential current and emerging security risks associated with research in sensitive areas or research partnerships, says Wesley.
This new role assists researchers in creating project-specific risk evaluations and mitigation plans and is supported with a web-based tool to identify risks that potential research partners may have.
“The research security specialist is dedicated to bolstering research security within the university community, offering guidance on emerging security risks, aiding researchers in assessing and mitigating project-specific risks and managing associated procedures to safeguard research partnerships,” says Wesley.
U of G also hosted an on-site visit with the Academic Outreach and Stakeholder Engagement branch of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) to increase awareness of potential research security-related risks at the University.
Rene Ouellette, Director General of Academic Outreach and Stakeholder Engagement at CSIS, hosted a series of sessions on research security at U of G in the fall of 2023, one of which was for senior leadership. The session addressed the increasing focus on research security, safeguarding and foreign interference by governments, as well as in the media.
The session also discussed how these evolving requirements and considerations impact various aspects of work, including research, academic freedom, recruitment, procurement, diversity and inclusion and donations.
It also provided a chance for U of G stakeholders to engage with Ouellette to better understand and address these issues within the U of G community's context.
“U of G is doing its part to enhance its research ecosystem by providing specialized expertise, fostering collaboration and innovation, supporting researcher development and ensuring institutional resilience, all of which contribute to research excellence,” says Wesley.
The Government of Canada's Research Support Fund is an important source of funding for support of research facilities, research resources, management and administration of the University of Guelph's research enterprise, regulatory requirements and intellectual property and knowledge mobilization.