UBC's Research Security team is available to provide confidential consultations and advice as you navigate how research security applies to your work. Below are several common questions received, as well as their corresponding answers.
If you have outstanding questions after reviewing the advice below, the Government of Canada and Tri-Agencies FAQ pages may also support you in determining the appropriate course of action.
General Questions
Who should I speak to about establishing a contractual research relationship (e.g. a collaborative research agreement) at UBC?
The UBC sponsored research and technology transfer teams (part of the University-Industry Liaison Office or UILO) are responsible for establishing all contractual research relationships between UBC researchers, government and non-profit partners, as well as all research relationships with industry partners. The UILO will review agreements once a project plan and budget have been developed and a Research Project information Form have been completed.
See the How to Form Research Partnerships page for more details.
Who at UBC can assist with completing a Risk Assessment Form (RAF) as required by the National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships (NSGRP)?
The NSGRP apply to federally funded research that includes a private-sector partner with the aim of consistent, risk-targeted due diligence of potential risks to research security. This is assessed via Risk Assessment Forms (RAFs). Researchers must complete a RAF and submit it to the Research Security team for review along with their draft grant application to research.security@ubc.ca.
How often will the Sensitive Technology Research Areas (STRA) and the Named Research Organizations (NRO) lists be updated?
The federal government has indicated that the STRA and NRO lists will be updated on a periodic basis, as risks can evolve and mature over time. Please consult the latest version of these lists when preparing any application for a funding opportunity where the STRAC Policy applies. The federal government will provide more information regarding the frequency of updates to these lists and the method through which the research community will be informed about updates at a later date. When received, the Research Security team will provide STRAC and NSGRP policy updates such as updated STRA and NRO lists, so please subscribe for updates.
What would happen if a research organization is added to the Named Research Organizations (NRO) list after attestation forms have been submitted, and someone named on the project is now affiliated with an NRO?
Researchers must comply with the policy according to the NRO list that was published at the time of the grant submission. If an organization is added to the NRO list later, persons in named research roles would not need to attest to the new NRO list or updated STRA lists until or unless that project is required to submit an extension or new application. We recommend regularly consulting each specific funding opportunity’s guidance for updates.
Primary investigator and research team responsibilities
Is the primary applicant responsible for the accuracy of all attestations submitted as part of a grant? What other responsibilities do primary applicants have?
The primary applicant is not responsible for verifying the accuracy of their team’s attestations. However, they are responsible for ensuring that all current and prospective research team members — including all HQPs — are aware of their individual responsibilities to comply with the STRAC policy. These individual responsibilities include ensuring that one does not hold or establish affiliations with, or receive funding or in-kind support from, NROs throughout the project, even for non-named research roles. The primary applicant and/or co-applicants are also responsible for updating the relevant funding agencies if individuals in named roles change or if their research moves from not advancing to advancing a sensitive technology research area at any point in the project.
- See the Tri-Agency guidance for specific details of researchers’ responsibilities.
What are the obligations of Highly Qualified Personnel (HQP), such as undergraduate and graduate students, under the STRAC policy?
HQPs must not be actively affiliated with, or receive funding or in-kind support from, NROs if they wish to participate in research projects aiming to advance a sensitive technology research area. Past affiliations are not within the scope of STRAC, and we recommend that HQPs, like all other researchers on the project, retain documentation confirming the conclusion of any affiliations with NROs in the event a funding agency conducts post-award validations on the affiliations of research project members.
Collaborations with individuals affiliated to a Named Research Organization (NRO)
What should I do if I have concerns about former or ongoing collaborations with Named Research Organizations (NRO)?
UBC Researchers can book a confidential consultation with the Research Security team to discuss concerns about potential affiliations with NROs. Ongoing or active affiliations must be ended if a researcher wishes to be eligible for certain federal grant funding to advance a sensitive technology research area (STRA).
A visiting researcher position has been offered to an individual affiliated with or receiving funding/in-kind support from an entity on the NRO list. Does this mean that the UBC professor who made the offer is now “affiliated” with the NRO?
Hiring someone from an NRO does not automatically affiliate the offeror (or their institution) to that NRO. According to the Government of Canada, “individuals are considered affiliated to any organization at which they are employed, appointed, or conduct research”. In this case, the visiting professor would be considered affiliated with the NRO, though their offeror may not be so long as they refrain from accepting employment, appointments or research opportunities from the NRO. However, it should be noted that if that visiting professor continues to affiliate with, or receive funding or in-kind support from, the NRO, they cannot participate in any research activities aiming to advance a sensitive technology research area funded by a federal grant for which the STRAC policy applies.
Many of my former students are now affiliated with Named Research Organizations and we still collaborate on research publications. Does the implementation of new federal guidelines mean that I need to stop these publications with them to be eligible for future federal funding?
Joint publications do not establish active affiliations with an NRO as per the Government of Canada’s current guidance. However, you cannot use any Canadian federal funding that is in scope of the STRAC Policy to support these publications if any of your coauthors are affiliated with or receiving funding or in-kind support from NROs, as they would be considered part of the research team. Individuals affiliated with or receiving funding or in-kind support from NROs will need to end their affiliations or support from the NRO to participate in a federal funding opportunity in scope of the STRAC Policy. Furthermore, you should take care to not receive funding or in-kind support from NROs during these joint publications; receipt of such funding or in-kind support may make you ineligible for certain kinds of federal grant funding that aims to advance a sensitive technology research area.
- See the STRAC Policy definitions for additional guidance on collaborations and in-kind support.
Can we host visiting PhD students or postdoctoral researchers from a Named Research Organization in our faculty?
The STRAC Policy does not prohibit visiting students or scholars from NROs from participating in all research activities in Canada. However, visiting students or scholars from an NRO cannot participate in a project or program that is aiming to advance a sensitive technology research area and is supported by a federally funded grant within scope of the STRAC policy. As per the Tri-Agency Guidance on the STRAC Policy, grant recipients must ensure all research team members are aware of their individual responsibilities to comply with the STRAC policy, and all research team members involved in activities funded by a grant are individually responsible to ensure that they have no active affiliations or in-kind support from an NRO.
Engaging with Named Research Organizations (NROs)
I am providing a guest lecture or a short course at an NRO. Would this contravene the STRAC policy?
If you will be compensated by an NRO for this activity (e.g., via a stipend, paid travel expenses, or any in-kind support such as research space or access to proprietary datasets), then this would fall within the definition of you receiving funding or in-kind support from an NRO. If the NRO hires or appoints you to conduct these activities, you would very likely be considered as affiliated with the NRO. Please consult with UBC’s Research Security team to discuss your specific case if you are uncertain.
I have been invited to attend an event or conference hosted by or sponsored by an NRO, what should I do?
The choice to attend an event or specific conference ultimately rests with the researchers. There are, however, federal policy considerations researchers should take note of when deciding whether to attend.
While attending an event or conference hosted by or sponsored by a Named Research Organization (NRO) does not automatically affiliate you to the NRO, the receipt of financial or in-kind support, such as gifts or coverage of travel expenses, may impact your eligibility for and compliance with federal grant funding opportunities in-scope of the STRAC Policy.
We encourage researchers to be aware of who is organizing and funding the event in question. Researchers should also consider what benefits are being offered to participants and the affiliations of those from whom they are receiving financial or in-kind support to attend. Researchers can ask themselves questions such as:
- Are the organizers and/or organizing body operating on behalf of NROs?
- Are NROs the sole sponsors of the conference?
If either of the above situations is true, then accepting financial or in-kind support from the organizers may impact your current Canadian federal funding or future eligibility to apply for funding opportunities when aiming to advance a sensitive technology research area.
Please consult with UBC’s Research Security team to discuss your specific case and we can provide tailored advice for your situation.
I am participating in an event or conference where NROs will be present, what should I consider?
Participation in an event or conference where NROs are present does not automatically affiliate you with them. We encourage researchers involved in work aiming to advance sensitive technology research areas to critically evaluate offers from NROs of financial or in-kind support, such as data or access to lab space, if they are approached for further collaboration opportunities. Researchers should also remain aware of general research security risks related to NROs. Please consult with UBC’s Research Security team to discuss your specific situation.