As a centre for research excellence and innovation, Trent University actively engages in partnerships that enrich the broader research ecosystem and drive societal progress. However, in a rapidly changing geopolitical context, our researchers must navigate the risks that emerge when academic work intersects with economic, political, or strategic interests. The Office of Research & Innovation supports Trent’s community in implementing best practices to protect intellectual property and comply with federal and provincial research security requirements, ensuring that our commitment to open collaboration remains secure and resilient.
To read more about what the risks are to you and your research; IT security safeguards; Research project specific safeguards; or Trent’s Traveling Safeguard Checklist, please visit Safeguarding Research on the Information Technology website page.
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.
What are the risks?
If questionable parties obtain your research, the risks include:
- The theft of research data
- The loss of intellectual property
- Misuse of research or knowledge that is considered “dual use”
- Patenting and potential revenue
- Legal or administrative reprisal
- Loss of potential future partnerships or access to research funding
- A tarnished reputation
Role of ORI
- 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 units at Trent, provide advice for international visiting faculty, PhDs, and post-doctoral fellows
- Provide and liaise outreach and training on best practices for safeguarding research
- Communicate updates on research security requirements
Research Security Requirements for Grant Applications
Federal: Policy on Sensitive Technology Research & Affiliations of Concern (STRAC)
On January 16, 2024, the Government of Canada introduced the Policy on Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern (STRAC) for funding opportunities launched after May 1, 2024.
The STRAC Policy applies to the following funding agencies.
- Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR)
- Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)
- Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)
- Tri-Agency Institutional Programs Secretariat (TIPS)
- Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI)
The STRAC Policy states that to be eligible to receive new research funding in any Sensitive Technologies Research Areas (STRA) each researcher with a named role in the grant application cannot have any affiliations with and cannot be in receipt of funding or in-kind support from entities on the Named Research Organizations (NRO) list.
Grant applicants should ensure that all prospective research team members are aware of their individual responsibilities with regards to compliance with the STRAC Policy. Although highly qualified personnel (HQPs), such as graduate students and post-doctoral students, are not required to submit an attestation form, they are required to be compliant with the policy (see this STRAC Policy FAQ on HQPs).
Federal: National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships (NSGRP)
The National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships (NSGRP) operationalize national security due diligence within the federal funding ecosystem, specifically targeting Tri-Agency and Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) applications that involve private sector partners. Researchers must submit a mandatory Risk Assessment Form, which functions as a critical compliance instrument to identify vulnerabilities, such as the potential transfer of sensitive data or intellectual property and to formalize a risk mitigation plan. This process requires precise identification of "private sector partners", defined as:
- For-profit organizations (excluding Canadian Crown Corporations).
- Organizations representing industry interests, such as trade associations or consortia.
The federal review mechanism is independent and rigorous, extending beyond the application text to include bibliometric analysis and open-source intelligence on all participants, including "partners of the partner." Security flags can trigger direct agency inquiries; therefore, proactive engagement with the Office of Research and Innovation is essential during the pre-application phase. ORI provides necessary support for partner vetting and the validation of mitigation strategies, ensuring alignment with Government of Canada safeguards to prevent funding denial based on national security risks.
Provincial: Mitigating Economic and/or Geopolitical Risks in Sensitive Research Projects
In Ontario, applications for funding programs delivered through the Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security (MCURES), are subject to specific research security requirements. The programs include the following.
- Ontario Research Fund-Research Excellence (ORF-RE)
- Ontario Research Fund-Genomics (ORF-Genomics)
- Ontario Research Fund-Large Infrastructure Fund (ORF-LIF)
- Ontario Research Fund-Small Infrastructure Fund (ORF-SIF)
- Ontario Research Fund-College Fund (ORF-CF)
- Ontario Research Fund-Biosciences Research Infrastructure Fund (ORF-BRIF)
- Early Researcher Awards (ERA)
The research security requirements include the completion of two forms as part of the application:
- Application Attestation Form for Researchers Applying to the Ontario Research Funding Programs
- Mitigating Economic and Geopolitical Risk Checklist for Ontario Research Fund Applications
For complete details, please work with the ORI very early in your application and consult the Research Security Guidelines for Ontario Research Funding Programs.