Science & Security: Facilitating a Compliant and Inclusive Research Environment in the Wake of Foreign Influence Concerns
Program Objective
The program will provide participants with a deep dive into facing the challenges that have arisen over “foreign influence” in US research which has created an increasingly turbulent environment. The speakers will share relevant insights into:
- Principles of Financial Conflict of Interest and Commitment Compliance
- Science and Security Concerns Arising from Foreign Influence
- Working with Enforcement Agents
- Dealing with non-compliance
- Submitting a Voluntary or Directed Disclosure of US Export Controls Laws
Research organizations including academic medical institutions place a high value on working collaboratively in an open environment which serves as the cornerstone of the vitality of global research. Concerns in the US over foreign government influence has Research organizations facing unprecedented challenges to collaboration with foreign nationals working in the United States or abroad. Balancing the competing mandates to protect the intellectual property resulting from scientific research and preserving an open and inclusive approach to research collaborations is a challenge. Concerns over compliance with export controls coupled with widely-publicized cases where valuable technologies have been compromised and shared with foreign entities has only exacerbated the scrutiny by enforcement agencies and fueled anxiety and mistrust among our foreign-born faculty and students which threatens long-standing policies of openness, inclusiveness and collaboration.
This intensive workshop will provide insights from senior research administrators into good practices in facilitating compliant collaborations with foreign individuals, organization and sponsors; communicating reporting obligations to foreign national faculty and students; utilization of non-intrusive oversight of visiting scientists agreements and H1B visa compliance; and working successfully with enforcement agencies. The program will offer practical advice on how to handle situations of non-compliance in reporting of relationships with and/or non-monetary relationships with foreign entities, navigating the labyrinth of laws entangled in such violations, dealing with enforcement visits, making determinations on whether export controls laws were violated, and handling voluntary and directed disclosures of non-compliance.
Participants will leave with a better understanding of how to:
- Support an open and inclusive research environment
- Elicit fully compliant disclosures of potential or perceived financial interests
- Review disclosures to determine if relevant conflicts exist
- Examine situations where interests have not been disclosed
- Determine whether export laws have been violated and require disclosures
- Work effectively with enforcement agencies
This program is specifically designed for senior level research administrators and compliance officials to include internal audit, legal counsel and vice presidents. The program will include breakout groups to do a deeper dive into specific areas of this important topic.