Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee, , 8:23:52 to 8:29:02
The department discusses research security concerns regarding collaborations with Iran, Russia, and North Korea. Officials outline the monitoring of formal and informal arrangements and the ongoing review of threshold standards for research security.
Topics: National security, Education
Speakers: Mr Simon Moore, Senator Matt O'Sullivan, Ms. Jasmina Joldic, Mr. Tony Cook, Unknown Speaker
uh on notice the department provided copies of letters between uh M. Jaldic and various institutions regarding uh relating to research security. One of which reveals concerns about recent research at a researcher collaborations between Iran, Russia and North Korea. Uh which university is that and to your knowledge is the collaboration ongoing?
Uh thank you Senator. Um I will just need to check which letter you're referring to. There were multiple letters that I have sent um in that period. Um I have sent a letter to multiple universities. I just need to
>> multiple that had relation collaborations between Iran, Russia and North Korea.
>> Uh earlier this year I spent I sent a a letter to um all of the vice chancellors and they were follow-up letters. So I just need to understand which letter exactly you're referring to. So we we
reminded all universities about arrangements with those countries. So it was a letter that same letter that went to every university.
>> Yeah.
>> I just don't know whether there's a >> I think that's the one you're talking about. So it went to all universities, Senator.
>> Okay. This is in relation to the Trailblazer Universities program. Um do are you aware then of how many universities have engaged in research the research collaborations with individuals in Russia uh Bellar Russia North Korea Iran this year >> any awareness of that
>> thank you Senator Simon Moore I'm assistant secretary for global relations and national security um in general terms Senator Um the research research research collaboration is a is is um the numbers of th those collaborations across the university sector is is is is quite astronomically high and some of those are formal arrangements some of them are nonformal arrangements in broad terms in terms of the levels of research at the research cooperation with DPRK Bellarus Russia and Iran they're slightly different stories when you talk to each of those countries with regards to Russia DPRK and Bellarus the answer is very low to none um and and almost none from a departmental and government uh government awareness perspective. Uh Iran is a slightly different story. Um there is researcher to researcher collaboration that does occur with Iran but that is small in number and getting smaller as a consequence of work across government to express government's expectations that no collaboration of this sort occurs with Iran.
uh are you able to provide us with those universities with those institutions?
>> Um with Iran with research to research and collaboration with Iran um most universities would have some level of research to research and collaboration but in relative terms very very small um and getting smaller. Senator.
>> Uh well, if you could provide on notice then that list of exact you know who um might not be all you said. >> Uh so the the letters the quan that I'm referring to in relation to the letters was uh uh 724 SQ26 724. Um, so we've got redacted um, uh, address label there. So we don't know who it is that you were referring to. You able to
>> again I think it might have been it might have been the same letter to everyone is what I'm trying to say. We've just redacted. We normally redact addresses in
>> table cuz they would have all got the same letter not not targeted at a particular
>> I'll just check for quan when it comes through to make sure I'm right but I'm pretty sure that's what's happened
>> Senator if I may standard letter went to all universities but there was a lot of different followup with almost all universities depending one on their response to that letter but also against the backdrop we have regular contact with a lot of universities ities on on these matters. One where they contact us to become where we become aware of things. So while there was an initial singular letter that went to all universities um a large number to varying degrees had follow up both in terms of formal correspondence and letters and many with emails and phone calls directly from the department of education but also other government
>> Okay. Uh so earlier this month it was reported that the minister asked a tech to investigate whether the threshold standards dealt adequately with research security. Do you know if that uh well or do you familiar with the status of that work?
>> Thank you senator. Yes um yes we are um yes we are. Um the tech has submitted its advice to the minister. We are now in the process of um going out to consultation with the states and territories as well as TEXA on those standards as we are required uh by legislation. Uh once we receive the the feedback from states and territories in TEXA uh we will provide our final advice to the minister in terms of what the threshold standards um should encompass.