The principles guiding the Queen鈥檚 Research Security are:
Inclusive research excellence
Queen鈥檚 University is committed to inclusive excellence in research, which drives innovation and discovery and strengthens the University鈥檚 local, provincial, national, and international impact.
Queen鈥檚 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 University recognizes the potential security risks related to research and innovation and is committed to proactive measures to ensure research security (see , Government of Canada, 2021).
Strong collaborations
Queen鈥檚 University values authentic and equitable research partnerships, but is also committed to implementing proactive measures to safeguard research investments.
Queen鈥檚 University aligns with the Government of Canada鈥檚 (2021) view that 鈥...collaborative research environments are essential to propel creativity and advance research discoveries.鈥
Open dissemination of research results
Queen鈥檚 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.鈥
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Queen鈥檚 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: 鈥渁s open as possible and as closed as necessary.鈥
Maintaining compliance and security
Queen鈥檚 University recognizes the importance of the integrity of Canada鈥檚 research enterprise, particularly when considering compliance with security obligations and provisions. According to the Government of Canada (2021), 鈥渞esearch should always be practiced with integrity and transparency, in full respect of privacy, security, ethical considerations, and with appropriate intellectual property protections.鈥
As such, Queen鈥檚 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 research security policies (see ), Queen鈥檚 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 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.