The UO is deeply committed to freedom of inquiry and the advancement of knowledge. The institution remains steadfast in its commitment to international collaboration and in its stance against national origin discrimination.
Over the past several years, Congress and numerous federal agencies have raised concerns about inappropriate foreign influence on research and scholarship conducted at U.S. universities.
To address risks to research security, National Security Presidential Memorandum 33 (NSPM-33) requires institutions that receive more than $50 million per year in federal science and engineering support for the previous two fiscal years to operate a research security program.
As specified in NSPM-33 final implementation guidance, a research security program must include:
- A cybersecurity program consistent with the National Institute of Standards and Technology guidance
- Foreign travel security that includes periodic training for covered individuals and reporting requirements
- Research security training for covered individuals and an institution's certification of individuals' completion of such training
- Export control training for covered individuals who perform research and development involving export-controlled technologies and processes for reviewing foreign sponsors, collaborators, and partnerships
Under the final implementation guidance, federal research agencies may develop additional requirements for research security programs beyond the four elements above.
Guidance for International Collaborations and Activities
The UO remains steadfast in its commitment to international collaboration while also complying with the changing landscape of federal regulations. Ultimately, these regulations help our research and scholarship to be truly open and free from bias or undue influence.
Learn More About International Activities
What is Research Security?
NSPM-33 interim implementation guidance defines research security as activities to safeguard “the research enterprise against the misappropriation of research and development to the detriment of national or economic security, related violations of research integrity, and foreign government interference.”
Cybersecurity
The UO Information Security Office provides information security services to the UO community, including vulnerability scanning, security consulting, and incident response.
Some sponsored research may require additional cybersecurity controls. The Export Control Officer and Sponsored Projects Services monitor terms and conditions to help flag additional controls that may be required and communicates this information with the principal investigator. Please contact the Export Control Officer if you believe your research project needs additional security measures.
Foreign Travel Security
Researchers on sponsored awards will soon be required to complete foreign travel security training prior to international travel, and this training must be completed at least once every six years.
All travel requests and reimbursements must be entered into Concur, regardless of whether the trip is domestic or international. The UO may be required to report international travel to a research sponsor.
The Export Control Officer receives information from the UO Travel Office about employees' international travel, and they may contact travelers prior to their trip for additional information, depending on the destination and purpose. Travelers to certain high-risk destinations are strongly encouraged to participate in the UO's loaner laptop and device program coordinated by Information Security.
Research Security Training
Researchers on sponsored awards will soon be required to complete research security training.
The UO uses the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) to administer the required training. Download our step-by-step guide for adding the Undue Foreign Influence: Risks and Mitigations Course. You're also welcome to email us, and we can add it for you. The course will take approximately 1 1/2 hours to complete.
CITI offers instructions on how to affiliate the University of Oregon with your account if you have not already done so. If your account is not associated with the UO, we cannot confirm your required course completion.
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Export Control Training
Researchers on sponsored awards who perform research and development involving export-controlled technologies will soon be required to complete export control training. The Export Control Officer and Sponsored Projects Services monitor terms and conditions to identify researchers who have this training requirement.
The UO uses the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) to administer the required training. Download our step-by-step guide for adding the Export Compliance Course. You're also welcome to email us, and we can add it for you. The course will take approximately 30 minutes to complete.
CITI offers instructions on how to affiliate the University of Oregon with your account if you have not already done so. If your account is not associated with the UO, we cannot confirm your required course completion.
Many export control compliance steps at the UO happen as part of regular administrative processes. The Export Control Officer conducts routine compliance screening on foreign sponsors, collaborators, and partnerships as that information is entered into the Electronic Proposal Clearance System (EPCS). This screening happens automatically, and principal investigators do not need to request additional screening.
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Research Security Program Contacts and Report a Research Security Concern
The research security program contact is General Counsel and Assistant Vice President for Research Integrity Jessica Price.
To report a research security concern, click the button below. Then, navigate to "Research" and select "Export Controls."
Disclosure and Digital Persistent Identifiers (DPIs)
The federal government and federal funding agencies have identified researchers’ disclosure and transparency about relationships with and funding support from outside entities, especially those outside the U.S., as critical to research security.
All researchers must annually disclose outside activities and financial interests to the UO under the Financial Conflict of Interest in Research Policy. They must also disclose outside activities and research support, including support that may be non-monetary such as honorific titles, to the research sponsor via a biosketch, current/pending support document, and/or other support document. Some research agencies are also requiring a digital persistent identifier (DPI), such as ORCID.
Researchers must be accurate and consistent in these disclosures, particularly if they include activities with a foreign entity or government. Please be aware that researchers are prohibited from being part of a malign foreign talent recruitment program.
All UO employees, regardless of whether they receive federal funding, must disclose outside activities and interests if that activity is not exempt under the Conflict of Interest, Conflict of Commitment, and Outside Activities Policy.