Vilnius University Invites to a Webinar on Research Security

Vilnius University (VU), together with partners from the Arqus Alliance, is implementing an initiative aimed at strengthening awareness of research security and enhancing related institutional practices across the Alliance. The initiative promotes inter-institutional collaboration, the exchange of good practices, and capacity building among partner universities. As part of its implementation, a series of workshops and webinars is being organised, focusing on the development of secure research management.

Within this programme, on 5 May 2026 the VU Department for Research and Innovation will host an online webinar dedicated to research security. The event aims to raise awareness of current risks and strengthen the University community’s capacity to apply practices that safeguard research activities in an evolving geopolitical and technological environment. The webinar will feature presentations by two international experts, addressing both strategic and practical aspects of research security, as well as emerging challenges and institutional responses.

The webinar is intended for researchers, administrative staff, and all those involved in research activities and international collaboration. It will take place online via Microsoft Teams on 5 May from 13:30 to 15:30 CEST (14:30 to 16:30 EEST). Registration is available here. 

The webinar will feature presentations by Yoran Beldengrün, Policy Analyst at the OECD Global Science Forum, and Paul Jarrett, Director of Research Security at the University of Toronto.

Y. Beldengrün will present “The Balancing Act: Securing global research within a shifting geopolitical environment”. His presentation will explore how research security is conceptualised and outline current risks in international scientific collaboration. It will also draw on OECD data to highlight the growing number of policy initiatives in this field and the broader shift in perspective, where science and technology are increasingly seen not only as drivers of innovation but also as elements of national and economic security. The presentation will address the need to balance such policies with principles such as academic freedom and open science.

P. Jarrett will deliver the presentation “The University of Toronto approach to the Canadian Research Security Landscape”. He will discuss the Canadian research security system at both federal and subnational levels and present the University of Toronto’s approach to supporting a secure research environment. This includes organisational structures, researcher engagement, risk assessment practices, and selected case studies.