Safeguarding international collaborations and personnel recruitment
Safeguarding your research
Safeguarding international collaborations and personnel recruitment ⸺ guidance from TMU’s OVPRI and Research Security team
In today’s interconnected academic landscape, international collaborations and the recruitment of global talent are essential to the excellence of research at Toronto Metropolitan University.
However, as global geopolitical dynamics shift, researchers are increasingly required to navigate a complex web of security considerations. Protecting your research from unwanted access, interference, or theft is not just a regulatory requirement, it is a shared responsibility that helps preserve the integrity of our work.
To help you navigate these complexities, particularly regarding international partnerships and the recruitment of students, postdoctoral fellows (PDFs), and visiting scholars, we have compiled the following best practices and institutional requirements.
Best practices for international collaborations
When engaging in international research projects, it is vital to "know your partner." Security risks often arise from a lack of transparency regarding the affiliations or motivations of collaborators.
Conduct due diligence
Before formalizing a partnership, perform open-source due diligence. Investigate the prospective partner’s institutional affiliations, funding sources and past collaborations. Tools such as the Government of Canada’s open-source due diligence guide (external link) can help you identify potential red flags. We also have additional resources for conducting due diligence on TMU’s Research Security website.
Assess dual-use potential
Consider whether your research has dual-use applications, meaning it could be used for both civilian and military purposes. This is particularly critical in fields like advanced digital infrastructure, materials manufacturing, and sensing technology. Public Safety Canada’s Research Security Centre runs training modules (e.g., Module 2 (external link) ) that help assess what is considered dual-use.
Adhere to export controls and sanctions requirements
Ensure that any sharing of data, technology, services or physical items across borders complies with Canada’s Export and Import Permits Act and applicable sanctions under the Special Economic Measures Act (external link) . This includes verifying that collaborators, partner institutions and end users are not listed under Canadian sanctions regimes, particularly as a growing number of universities and research institutes are being designated as such in the current geopolitical environment. Researchers should also recognize that intangible technology transfers such as sharing technical data via email, cloud platforms or conference presentations may constitute controlled activities requiring authorization under both frameworks.
Securing research personnel recruitment
Recruiting visiting scholars, students and postdoctoral fellows is a cornerstone of research growth. However, the affiliations of these individuals can have long-term implications for your research funding and institutional reputation.
- Review affiliations: A visiting researcher’s home institution and other funding affiliations may potentially have implications for the host’s existing and future government research funding.
- Assess impact on funding eligibility: In particular, visitors with institutional affiliations identified on the federal Named Research Organizations (NRO) (external link) list may impact their host’s funding eligibility and/or the host’s responsibilities per their grant transfer payment agreements.
- Transparent disclosures: When applying for provincial or federal grants, all named researchers must be transparent about their affiliations to high-risk institutions.
TMU’s visiting scholar protocol
TMU faculty members and visitors must be mindful that they may be impacted by federal and provincial research security policies. Failure to comply with these policies may result in loss of future government research funding. As you prepare to host international talent, please keep the following in mind:
- Align with policy requirements: Review the federal government's Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern (STRAC) (external link) policy and the Ontario government’s Research Security Guidelines for Ontario Research Funding (ORF) Programs (external link) via the TMU's research security webpage.
- Verify affiliations: Always cross-reference a visitor’s and personnel’s current and past affiliations against the NRO list to protect your future funding opportunities.
- Use official documentation: Ensure all international visiting scholars are processed through the formal university channels (Human Resources and OVPRI) to ensure compliance with immigration and security protocols.
Support and resources
Research security is an evolving field, and you do not have to navigate it alone. TMU’s OVPRI and Research Security team offers resources on our website to help you safeguard your research, conduct open-source due diligence on partners and personnel, and mitigate any risks that may affect your research environment.
Request a Consultation
For inquiries regarding research security policies or to request a tailored consultation, please contact the Research Security team at researchsecurity@torontomu.ca.