International Collaboration
Before sharing any research materials or equipment with international collaborators, ensure you understand regulations to avoid issues.
Research Security Measures for International Collaboration
International Collaborations encompass all of the vital parts of research security, and it is important to be aware with whom, on what, and for what purpose you are collaborating. You cannot assume that your international collaborator’s agenda and goals are the same as yours. Adding the extra few steps to ensure that research security due-diligence is carried on your activities might help you to be able to continue doing them in the future.
Let’s say you have met someone at a conference, or someone reached out to you and they would like to start a collaboration. There are a few things that you should consider (and inquire with the UM Research Security about) before initiating ‘formal’ collaboration. Formal implies that you are exchanging data, information, ideas with the goal of producing a publication, patent, proposal, etc.
- Is the collaborator, or their current place of employment on the Restricted Parties List?
- Is the collaborator a citizen of, or resides in, one of the sanctioned countries?
- Does the collaborator work at/for what would be considered high-risk for military end-use institution?
- Does the collaborator have recent (since 2019) publications with entities from institutions on the Restricted Parties List or high-risk military end-use?
- Do you know all of the participants of this collaboration, even if you are not involved with them directly, but the resulting paper might include them?
- Does the topic of your collaboration have potential military-end use?
- Does the topic of your collaboration involve emerging technologies?
To request a risk analysis of your potential international collaborator, please fill out the International Collaboration Screening Form request.
Knowing who you are inviting into your labs is very important. In addition to all of the questions mentioned in the Know your International Collaborator section, you also have to consider the following:
- Where are the funds coming for the visitor to come to the UM and cover their travel and accommodation expenses?
- Do you have any sponsored work going on in the labs where the visitor will be present?
- Does it include any proprietary samples/materials that you have signed an NDA with a company about?
- Does it include restricted (for various reasons) research?
- Will the international visitor be involved in your ongoing research?
- If so, you might have to disclose it to your sponsor as in-kind assistance, even if you are not paying the international visitor.
To request a risk assessment of your potential international visitor, please fill out the International Visitor Screening Form request.
Foreign Influence Red Flags regarding International Collaborators/Visitors
- Affiliation with an entity or individual on the Restricted Parties List
- Not disclosing to sponsors all received financial and in-kind contributions from foreign entities
- Traveling to countries of concern as invited speaker, especially if funds provided
- Publication with an individual from an institution on the Restricted Parties List
- Omission of certain information (i.e. publications, awards) from provided resume/CV
- Applying for or holding undisclosed patents in foreign countries
- Hosting a visiting scholar from an institution on the Restricted Parties List
- Shipping items to foreign countries without prior due-diligence checks
- Receiving funding from foreign entities
These are for UM related activities and individual consulting activities.
Know What You Are Providing
Collaboration often involves exchange of data, ideas, information. If you are involved in fundamental research, and you have done the due-diligence of having your international collaborator screened and there were no red flags, then sharing those should not be a problem. However, that’s not the case when it comes to physical items, materials, or equipment. Export Control regulations apply to those, and there is no fundamental research exemption on items. Nothing should be sent to international destinations/collaborators without prior approval by the UM Research Security.
For example, if your collaborator in Germany is asking you to send a piece of equipment they are unable to purchase there and they could really use it for their research, you need to stop and check with UM Research Security. There might be legal (export control regulations related) reason why that item is not sold in Germany, and if you just ship it there, you might be violating export control laws! Same applies if you decide to carry an item with you when traveling there. The method of export doesn’t matter.
Who to Contact at the UM
If you have any research security related concerns, please reach out to Marta Panickar at 662.915.8868, or mbp@olemiss.edu.