How universities can create safe international research relationships

So how do we move forward to pursue safe and productive international research relationships in the current geopolitical context? We build internal capacity around the issue of research security by hiring personnel with experience doing the work of safeguarding science. At The University of Waterloo, in June 2022, we hired a director of research security — a first for a Canadian university. We work with other universities to establish sector-wide best practices around international research collaboration that can inform this critical portfolio. Right now, Waterloo’s leaders are working with the Council of Ontario Universities, Universities Canada and the U15 Group of Canadian Research Universities to develop a standard set of principles and best practices for safeguarding the scientific endeavour and our national security and prosperity.