By Collin Rich, Chief Research Security Officer
As part of our ongoing efforts to ensure your research is supported, and advances without interruption, I write to share a significant federal policy update. There are new federal regulations regarding participation in Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Programs (MFTRPs) that will directly impact federally-funded university research activities.
Notably, federal research agencies are now required to implement policies prohibiting "covered individuals" from engaging in MFTRPsper §10631 of the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 (Act). Agencies, including the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), have implemented such policies (see ORA guidance on NSF policy). DoD’s policy further requires institutions receiving DoD funding to implement a policy prohibiting participation in MFTRPs.
At Indiana University, participation in an MFTRP is prohibited under Policy UA-17 (Conflicts of Interest and Commitment) for all faculty, staff, students and others engaged in sponsored research.
A "covered individual" is defined by §10638 as an individual who: “contributes in a substantive, meaningful way to the scientific development or execution of a research and development project proposed to be carried out with a research and development award from a Federal research agency; and is designated as a covered individual by the Federal research agency concerned.”
For any questions, assistance, or further clarifications, the full policy can be reviewed at the Research Security Office website or you may contact us at any time via email at rsohelp@iu.edu.
