Reference Library

A supplement to NSPM-33 outlining recommendations for research organizations to enhance research security and integrity. Categories include: Demonstrate organizational leadership and oversight; Establish an expectation of openness and transparency; Provide and share training, support, and information; Ensure effective mechanisms for compliance with organizational policies; and Manage potential risks associated with collaborations and data.

A Presidential Memorandum issued in January 2021 to strengthen protections of U.S. Government-supported R&D against foreign government interference and exploitation. It focuses on ensuring full disclosure of potential conflicts of interest and commitment by recipients of federal R&D and requires research institutions receiving over $50 million in federal R&D funding to certify they operate a research security program covering cybersecurity, foreign travel security, insider threat awareness, and export control training. As of November 2025, federal agencies continue to coordinate and work to implement this requirement for awardee institutions.

A May 2020 joint release from AAU and APLU providing effective practices that can be utilized by universities to implement research security efforts and minimize foreign influence.

Signed January 3, 2020. Section 223 mandates disclosure of funding sources in applications for federal R&D awards and holds universities accountable for ensuring faculty awareness. Section 1299C is an amendment to FY 2019 NDAA Section 1286 requiring designation of an official responsible for liaising with academic institutions and briefing them on espionage risks. Section 1062 restricts DoD and NSF funds to institutions hosting a Confucius Institute. Section 9907 prohibits any funds for microelectronics initiatives to a foreign entity of concern.

Published in 2020. Purpose is to aid universities in assessing collaborations and the best approach to international collaboration.

NSF's formal response to the JASON Group's report on Fundamental Research Security, outlining how the Foundation plans to address the report's findings and recommendations.

Signed December 20, 2019. Section 1746 directs OSTP to establish an interagency working group (the Research Security Subcommittee) under the NSTC to protect federally funded R&D from foreign interference, cyberattacks, theft, or espionage and to develop recommendations for best practices for federal agencies and grantee institutions. Section 1746 also called on the National Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine to stand up a new Roundtable on Science, Technology, and Security. Includes Confucius Institute waiver criteria for DoD.

A December 2019 report from the JASON Group commissioned by NSF. The report outlines that concerns of foreign influence can be addressed within the framework of research integrity and, in addition, that the benefits of openness in research and of the inclusion of foreign researchers dictate against measures that would restrict fundamental research. The report includes questions for researchers to consider when entering a collaboration [Section 7.3 Assessment Tools: pages 34-36].

An ASPI report (released 2019) accompanying the China Defense Universities Tracker that explores the military and security links of China's universities. It provides analysis underpinning the searchable database that rates the risk of collaboration with Chinese research entities, helping institutions assess foreign collaboration risk.

Issued July 10, 2019. Reminds institutions receiving NIH funding of the requirement for researchers to disclose all sources of support for their research endeavors, regardless of the source, value, or whether monetary or in-kind, and to disclose all scientific appointments and positions, whether foreign or domestic, paid or unpaid, etc. The notice also reminds the extramural community of the requirement to comply with HHS regulations regarding Financial Conflicts of Interest, as well as the requirement to report all Foreign Components involved in NIH-supported activities.

A searchable database that provides ratings on 'risk' for collaboration with an entity. In addition to the tracker, an associated document (released in 2019): Exploring the military and security links of China's universities.

A reference (2019) that can be utilized for advice and guidance which supports the integrity of the system of international research collaboration.

Signed into law July 26, 2018. Section 1286 directs the Secretary of Defense to establish an initiative to work with IHEs who perform defense research and engineering activities and name an academic liaison. It also directed DoD to publish a list of institutions and foreign talent recruitment programs that have perpetuated malicious activities or that operate under the direction of the military forces or the intelligence agency of the applicable country and thus pose a threat to national security. The resulting list is updated annually.

The 'Wolf Amendment' (2011) prohibits participation, collaboration, or coordination bilaterally with China or any Chinese-owned company on any NASA project at the prime or subrecipient level. NASA clarified in a September 2022 presentation that the agency defines a 'Chinese-owned company' as any company owned by China, or any company incorporated under the laws of China, and that Chinese universities and similar institutions are considered to be incorporated under the laws of China and therefore the funding restrictions apply.

A foundational federal document from September 1985 issued by the Office of the President that outlined a national policy of openness in federally-funded fundamental research, including the fundamental research exclusion.

AAMC's portal for research security resources, providing guidance and advocacy materials on research security and foreign influence at U.S. academic institutions.

The Federal Demonstration Partnership homepage, a cooperative initiative among federal agencies and institutional recipients of federal funds working to streamline the administration of federally sponsored research.

The AAU homepage providing access to research security resources, policy statements, and advocacy materials from the Association of American Universities.

The APLU homepage providing access to research security resources and advocacy materials from the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities.

The G7 research security portal providing resources and coordination among G7 member nations (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom, and United States) on research security best practices and policies.

DoD's Basic Research and Research Directorate portal providing access to fundamental research policies, the decision matrix, Section 1286 lists, and research security guidance for defense-funded research.

DOE's Research, Technology & Economic Security (RTES) portal providing access to policies, frameworks, and resources for managing research security risks in DOE-funded research.

NIH's research security portal providing access to notices, policies, decision matrices, and resources related to identifying and addressing foreign interference in NIH-funded research.

NSF's research security portal providing access to policies, forms, training resources, and guidance related to research security at the National Science Foundation.

The ODNI research security portal providing resources, threat briefings, and guidance for the academic research community on protecting research from foreign intelligence threats.