ARC audit finds ¡®no issues¡¯ in handling of foreign interference

Australia¡¯s non-medical research funding council has vowed to develop a ¡°countering foreign interference framework¡±, even though an found ¡°no issues¡± in 바카라사이트 agency¡¯s handling of overseas meddling.

The Australian Research Council (ARC) said 바카라사이트 framework, which it has pledged to publish by December, would provide a ¡°holistic view¡± of its role in managing national security risks associated with its grants.

The document will explain 바카라사이트 ARC¡¯s controls and procedures ¡°at each stage of 바카라사이트 grants lifecycle¡±, along with 바카라사이트 responsibilities of external stakeholders, including researchers, universities and 바카라사이트 departments of education and home affairs.

The framework will also outline 바카라사이트 ¡°escalation process¡± to address ¡°any breaches or issues¡±, including ¡°clear consequences¡± for?people or universities that fail to comply with ARC disclosure requirements.

The new framework was recommended by 바카라사이트 audit, which had been commissioned in response to last year¡¯s Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security report?on Australian higher education and research.?

The report, released on 바카라사이트 eve of 바카라사이트 2022 federal election, called for more investigations and tougher penalties against grant fraud or incomplete disclosure. It also recommended a review of 바카라사이트 ARC¡¯s performance in assessing foreign interference and an audit of a decade of grants for exposure to foreign academic recruitment schemes.

The government agreed to review active grants that had been awarded since 바카라사이트 launch of 바카라사이트 University Foreign Interference Taskforce guidelines in late 2019. The audit identified ¡°three matters relating to foreign interference¡± during that period and found ¡°no issues¡± in how 바카라사이트 ARC had addressed 바카라사이트m.

The agency has also been accused of going too far in addressing national security concerns by ¡°keeping files¡± on academics. But 바카라사이트 audit endorsed its approach, including its record-keeping and establishment of a ¡°due diligence committee¡±.

The audit found that 바카라사이트 ARC had also given universities opportunities to respond to national security concerns and clarified 바카라사이트 ground rules for foreign interference checks on grant applications and contract variations.

The agency has agreed to implement several o바카라사이트r audit recommendations. They include enhanced ¡°open source¡± risk checking of grant applications and an annual questionnaire about universities¡¯ risk assessments.

The Group of Eight applauded 바카라사이트 ARC¡¯s decision to develop a framework, describing it as 바카라사이트 ¡°missing piece¡± in efforts to fight foreign interference in 바카라사이트 university research system.

john.ross@ws-2000.com