Göttingen International

Risks and guidance for acting safely in an international context

The following content highlights possible risks in international cooperation, gives advice on how to minimize these risks and highlights courses of action for university members in management and leadership functions. The aim is to facilitate international cooperation and create a secure basis for cooperation for all parties involved.

The DAAD has also addressed the "altered geopolitical situation" and the question of "how to handle potential risks in a way that ensures scientific freedom and capitalizes on the opportunities of international cooperation". The DAAD's Centre for International Academic Cooperation (KIWi) developed the KIWi Checklist for Knowledge Security (website currently available in German only), a self-assessment tool for security-relevant dimensions of international scientific cooperation.The DFG also points out potential risks in international cooperation and writes in the introduction: "When planning cooperation with researchers in authoritarian countries in particular, projects must be carefully assessed for potential risks of misuse. These risks should be explicitly addressed in the proposal, along with the intended method of dealing with them".

    In international research and teaching collaboration:

  • Researchers are personally held accountable for knowing or unknowing infringement of the Legal Framework of EU Data Protection, or violation of export control regulations or the Nagoya protocol (which is an additional protocol to the Convention on Biological Diversity). For instance, research results may not be utilzed (i) for military or industrial-military purposes or the development of technologies that can be used for military offensive purposes; (ii) to contribute to the violation of human rights; (iii) in disregard of existing EU sanctions.

  • Sharing research results may lead to data leaks or scientific espionage, in particular: (i) misuse of sensitive personal, university or research data, e.g. by appropriating such data for ideological purposes; (ii) theft of research results or intellectual property, including the unauthorised publication or use of research results, data or other materials (e.g. teaching materials) without proper credit or authorisation; (iii) cyber-attacks, which include data theft and blackmail and ransomware; (iv) extortion, which may be perpetrated by compromising the confidentiality of research results or intellectual property.(iii) cyber-attacks, which include data theft, extortion and ransomware; (iv) extortion arising from the compromise of confidential information or personal dependencies.

  • Researchers, lecturers and students can become victims of, for example, discrimination, harassment and violence in the digital space and on site.

    In international travels :

  • Diplomatic sanctions (e.g. refusal of entry or exit), individual fines, or imprisonment, especially in countries with fewer academic freedoms and/or restricted freedom of expression.

  • Harm or exploitation of travelling researchers, teachers and students.

  • Natural disasters, political upheavals or accidents during the stay abroad.

  • (Potential) discrimination against affected/marginalised people such as people with disabilities or chronic illnesses, Black/POC or queer people or people with the gender entry "diverse".

    In international research and teaching collaboration:

  • Comply with export control regulations and the Nagoya protocol. In particular: (i) Determine and fix in the form of a written contract how research results will be used in the partner country to ensure that your research will not contribute to industrial and military developments that can be used for offensive purposes or that risk violating human rights. (ii) When receiving requests of interest from countries on the EU sanctions list. The University of Göttingen, as a foundation university, and its departments provide support through consultation and procedural guidance: points of contact are, for instance, exportkontrolle@uni-goettingen.de or datenschutz@uni-goettingen.de. However, researchers remain primarily responsible for ensuring compliance on a case-by-case basis. Since violations can result in severe penalties, we urge all researchers to observe university procedures and processes, and recommend the involvement of the responsible administrative department at an early stage.

  • Be well-acquainted with requirements of the funding organizations funding your project.

  • Take precautions towards data protection when sharing data and research results before publication. In particular: (i) Do not share any research data without a formal collaboration agreement, in particular to adress licensing issues. (ii) Share only data that is necessary for your collaboration. (iii) Prior to publication share data only via safe channels. For questions regarding secure research data management, you can contact the eResearch Alliance and for questions about the services offered by the GWDG, you can contact their Support.

  • In case of digital harrassment or online threats, researchers as well as teaching or science communication staff can receive round the clock support and guidance from the Scicomm-Support, which was initiated by the Federal Association of University Communication and Science in Dialogue. Students who receive online threats, experience digital harrassment or are subject to online bullying can contact HateAid.

  • Consider the potential risks associated with the appropriation of collaborations and projects for ideological purposes.

  • Be careful when accepting awards, decorations, medals of merit, etc., as these can be used to co-opt you. Check the reputation of the awarding institution.

  • For queries, Göttingen International international@uni-goettingen.de, DAAD-Kompetenzzentrum Internationale Wissenschaftskooperationen (KIWi) and DAAD offices abroad give advice.

    When travelling:

  • Check the website of the Federal Foreign Office for travel and security advice and the institutional medical service (Betriebsärztlicher Dienst) for advice on innoculations and other health queries.

  • Register (yourself and, if applicable, your staff and students) on Elefand when travelling, and be sure your contact details and itinerary are known by a contact person at the University.

  • Check the Academic Freedom Index of the country you will be traveling to. If it is a country with a low Academic Freedom Index, inform yourself about the limits of freedom of speech in that country and adhere to these limits, for example by not participating in demonstrations or signing statements while you are in that country.

  • Consider bringing a "data-cleaned" laptop and smartphone to an international setting.

  • Never leave your devices unattended during your trip, as malware can be quickly installed and in many cases cannot be detected by IT services after your return.

  • Exercise due caution when accepting gifts and offers. Find out about the regulations on accepting gifts and other benefits (information page only available in German).

  • Avoid asking your hosts for goods services that might create dependencies and/or conflicts of interest.

    University members in leadership positions have additional responsibilities towards their team:

    • Ensure that your team members and students receive guidance and individually tailored technical support regarding data and digital security to prevent data theft and surveillance risks.
    • Establish a crisis management procedure to respond to cases of harassment, harm, detention, or disappearance.
    • Create awareness among your students and staff about how repressive environments can affect academic freedom, and set clear standards within your team when collaborating with partners in countries with restricted academic freedom.
    • Inform all team members about their rights and responsibilities regarding sexual harassment and violence. You can use the online learning tool KNOW HOW for this purpose. The university also offers anti-discrimination counseling and counseling on sexual harassment and violence.
    • Ensure that all team members have equal opportunities to participate in the activities of the international collaboration. Minimize barriers that could hinder equitable participation, including the protection of team members who are (potentially) affected by or marginalized due to discrimination, such as queer individuals.

Questions can be addressed to: international@uni-goettingen.de