Research Security Grant

The Government of Canada introduced new funding through the Research Support Fund (RSF) in Budget 2022 to further support the activities related to the indirect costs of research security and to support the National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships.

Research security is categorized as a fifth priority area of the IPGs. These investments are aligned with the RSF’s objectives to help Canadian postsecondary institutions ensure their federally funded research projects are conducted in world-class facilities with the best equipment and administrative support available. By directing funds to specific investments and to annual or multiyear projects initiated by institutions, research security funding will help to build capacity within postsecondary institutions to identify, assess and mitigate the potential risks to research security.

This year, funds will be used to: create an internal program to accurately conduct risk assessments and risk mitigation strategies related to the National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships; upgrade cyber security mechanisms and data management protocols; increase compliance with Canadian and US export controls and controlled goods regulations; create a robust open-source analytic program to strengthen grant applications and assess foreign partnerships; evaluate the risk and reciprocal value of international academic collaboration; and expand research security principles to intellectual property and commercialization phases of scientific and technological development. 

Projects for the upcoming year include:

  • Create a Research Security Program: $690,813
  • Create a Program to Evaluate Risk Assessment and Risk Mitigation in Funding Applications: $91,716

Research security

Create a research security program for uWaterloo

2023-2024

Institutional performance objective
  • Increase faculty and staff, as well as graduate students and postgraduates, understanding of research security and compliance requirements, across campus and through the research ecosystem
  • Achieve collective understanding with government representatives on research security
  • Evaluate and modernize uWaterloo international relationships and institutional partnerships
Indicator
  • Number of research security training sessions delivered to faculty and staff as well as graduate and postgraduate students involved
  • Number of risk assessments created for granting applications
  • Number of engagements with government officials on compliance issues
  • Number of international and commercial relationships including policies, procedures and agreements updated 
Outcomes

Target

  • 12 formal research security training sessions delivered to faculty and staff/graduate and postgraduates students engaged with research
  • 50 risk assessments for granting objectives
  • 40 engagements with government officials on compliance issues
  • 20 key international commercial and international relationships (policies, procedures and agreements) updated and expanded based on comparative best practices

2022-2023

Institutional performance objective
  • Increase faculty and staff, as well as graduate students and postgraduates, understanding of research security in the campus environment and the research ecosystem
  • Achieve collective understanding with government representatives on research security practices and regulatory compliance
  • Evaluate and modernize uWaterloo international relationships 
Indicator
  • Number of research security training sessions delivered to faculty and staff as well as graduate and postgraduate students involved
  • Number of engagements with government officials on compliance issues
  • Number of international  relationships modernized
Outcomes

Target

  • 12 formal research security training sessions delivered to faculty and staff/graduate and postgraduates students engaged with research
  • 25 engagements with government officials on compliance issues
  • 20 key international commercial relationships updated and expanded based on comparative best practices

Actual

  • Major conference on research security (Feb 26-27, 2023), university and government representatives from across Canada.  260 attendees.   20 formal research security training sessions (groups and individuals) - briefings to Departments of Math; Computer Science; Science; ICQ (total numbers approx 200)
  • 25 engagements with a range of provincial and federal agencies:  ISED; Public Safety; Research Security Center in Public Safety; GAC; CSIS; MCU; SOLGEN; DND
  • 25 International institutional and commercial agreements updated as a result of expiring agreement dates and necessary national security reviews 

Create a program to evaluate risk assessment and risk mitigation in funding applications

2023-2024

Institutional performance objective
  • Design and implement a research security program focused on risk assessment and risk mitigation practices that works with faculty and federal and provincial governments in the grant application process
  • Consolidate data and best practices across scientific areas of federal and provincial funding that reflect accurate risk assessments and risk mitigation procedures
  • Upgrade and further implement Export Control and Controlled Goods regulations for Canada and the U.S.
Indicator
  • Number of grant applications with research security components reviewed
  • Number of data sets created that reflect successful risk mitigation practices
  • Number of modernized and new Export Control regime and Controlled Goods mechanisms utilized for uWaterloo compliance purposes
Outcomes

Target

  • 100 research security components reviewed
  • 2 data sets established for risk mitigation practices
  • 1 modernized Canadian Export Control and Controlled Goods program and 1 new U.S. Export Control regime mechanism established

2022-2023

Institutional performance objective
  • To design and implement a research security program focused on risk assessment and risk mitigation practices that works with faculty and federal and provincial governments in the grant application process
  • To consolidate data and best practices across scientific areas of federal and provincial funding that reflect accurate risk assessments and risk mitigation procedures
  • Upgrade and further implement Export Control and Controlled Goods regulations for Canada and the U.S.
Indicator
  • Number of grants with research security components reviewed
  • Number of data sets created that reflect successful risk mitigation practices
  • Number of modernized and new Export Control regime and Controlled Goods mechanisms utilized for uWaterloo compliance purposes
Outcomes

Target

  • 100 research security components reviewed
  • 2 data sets established for risk mitigation practices
  • 1 modernized Canadian Export Control and Controlled Goods program and 1 new U.S. Export Control regime mechanism established

Actual

  • 120 research security applications and files reviewed, including NSERC Alliance applications, MITACS, ORF, CFI, and individual security assessments related to researcher's professional contacts, institutional relationships, and publication affiliations
  • 2 data sets established  (provincial and federal) relating to risk assessment as carried out by SOLGEN and Public Safety - risk mitigation data being compiled - UW has no rejections of federal funding to date on risk mitigation strategies
  • US Export Control regime in place on Safeguarding Science website - US Export control training program for UW researchers in development. Canadian export control regime updated and used for UW research purposes