With the federal government’s policy on Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern (STRAC) now in effect, Brock University is working to educate and support faculty members in navigating these new requirements.

As of May 1, the STRAC policy — intended to further protect Canada’s research, institutions and intellectual property — applies to all projects submitted for funding to federal agencies, including the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council as well as the Canada Foundation for Innovation. Guidelines pertaining to provincially funded research are also in development through the Ministry of Colleges and Universities.

Safeguarding research is a top priority for Brock. The University continues to work with government agencies and granting councils to ensure research projects are conducted in accordance with security requirements while also remaining true to Brock’s values of openness, collaboration and equity.

To help researchers remain in compliance with the new guidelines, the Office of Research Services (ORS) is integrating information on the STRAC into upcoming grant writing workshops and will be visiting Faculties to connect directly with researchers in the coming months.

Free online training modules related to safeguarding research are available through the Government of Canada website and the Public Safety website in addition to a variety of resources available through Brock’s Safeguarding Your Research web page.

ORS is also available on an ongoing basis to answer questions and help researchers navigate these new requirements.

For more information on research security at Brock, please contact Research Officer Tyler Weaver.