Understanding Affiliations

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. 

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 co-authors 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. 

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. 

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 validations on the affiliations of research project members after the grant funding has been awarded. 

If you will be compensated by an NRO for this activity, then this would fall within the definition of you receiving funding or in-kind support from an NRO. Examples of potential compensation includes but is not limited to: stipends, paid travel expenses, or any in-kind support such as providing research space or access to proprietary datasets.

If the NRO hires or appoints you to conduct these activities, it is likely you would be considered as affiliated with the NRO. Please consult with UBC’s Research Security team to discuss your specific case if you are uncertain. 

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. 

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.