The principles guiding the Queen’s Research Security are:
Inclusive research excellence
Queen’s University is committed to inclusive excellence in research, which drives innovation and discovery and strengthens the University’s local, provincial, national, and international impact.
Queen’s University acknowledges the potential risks to the security of research, innovation and reputation faced by the research community, particularly in relation to research partnerships, and takes appropriate responsibility to assist researchers in mitigating them.
Institutional support for researchers
Queen’s University supports due diligence on research partnerships through the administration of research tools, technologies and support services that actively assess and mitigate risks to research and intellectual property.
Queen’s University recognizes the potential security risks related to research and innovation and is committed to proactive measures to ensure research security (see Safeguarding Research, Government of Canada, 2021).
Strong collaborations
Queen’s University values authentic and equitable research partnerships, but is also committed to implementing proactive measures to safeguard research investments.
Queen’s University aligns with the Government of Canada’s (2021) view that “...collaborative research environments are essential to propel creativity and advance research discoveries.”
Open dissemination of research results
Queen’s University aligns with the Tri-Agencies (2016) commitment to promoting the availability of findings that result from the research they fund, including research publications and data, to the widest possible audience, and at the earliest possible opportunity.”
Tri-Agency Open Access Policy on Publications.
Queen’s University encourages the consideration of the security implications of sharing research results, particularly when dealing with sensitive information, including personal health and other restricted data, while promoting a research environment that balances openness with necessary security safeguards: “as open as possible and as closed as necessary.”
Maintaining compliance and security
Queen’s University recognizes the importance of the integrity of Canada’s research enterprise, particularly when considering compliance with security obligations and provisions. According to the Government of Canada (2021), “research should always be practiced with integrity and transparency, in full respect of privacy, security, ethical considerations, and with appropriate intellectual property protections.”
Government of Canada Releases National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships
Research Security Guidelines for Ontario Research Funding Programs
As such, Queen’s University complies with relevant legal and commercial obligations and supports researchers with legal advice on research security considerations with legal and other implications.
Commitment to a Culture of Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion
Queen’s University is committed to advancing Indigenization, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Accessibility, and Anti-Racism (I-EDIAA) in implementing safeguarding research guidelines and research security policies according to related federal and provincial provisions.
Consistent with Canada’s research security policies (see Policy on Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern), Queen’s University adopts a neutral and non-discriminatory approach to research security, recognizing that risks can originate from and evolve anywhere in the world.
Recognizing that the implementation of safeguarding research guidelines and other research security policies may unintentionally create barriers or disproportionately impact members of the research community, Queen’s University is committed to applying these guidelines and policies in an equitable and inclusive manner that upholds and aligns with applicable human rights laws and institutional I-EDIAA goals.
Transparency and Consistency
Queen’s University prioritizes transparency in the implementation of safeguarding research policies, procedures and guidelines, ensuring open communication with the Governments of Canada and Ontario, with internal affected parties and the broader external communities. Queen’s University is also committed to ensuring that safeguarding research policies and guidelines are implemented consistently, providing clarity and predictability for the research community, government partners and other internal and external affected parties.