News item | 31-01-2022 | 4:00 pm
It is essential that Dutch knowledge institutions collaborate securely with foreign knowledge institutions and companies. With the new Central Government Knowledge Security Desk, the cabinet will help everyone who works or studies at a knowledge institution. Minister Dijkgraaf of Education, Culture and Science launched this new advice desk on behalf of the cabinet today.
In addition to the advice desk, the National Guide to Knowledge Safety was also published today. This document has been drawn up by the joint Dutch knowledge field together with the national government to provide guidelines and answers to questions about knowledge security in international scientific collaboration.
Minister Dijkgraaf: “International cooperation in science and higher education offers the Netherlands many opportunities and we should also encourage that. At the same time, it is also important that Dutch knowledge institutions are and remain alert to possible risks related to foreign interference, misuse of knowledge or ethical issues associated with the application of research results. The guideline and the counter will help with this. It is important that we are able to take this step together with parties from the knowledge field.”
Knowledge Security Desk
The government-wide Knowledge Security Desk [1] that has officially started today meets the needs of knowledge institutions. The knowledge institutions indicate that they want information and advice from the national government when weighing up the opportunities and risks associated with international cooperation. The new counter, which functions as a contact point for the entire national government, is available for all questions related to knowledge security for everyone who works or studies within a knowledge institution. This concerns, for example, questions about entering into partnerships with foreign knowledge institutions and companies.
The advice desk is part of the National Office for Entrepreneurs (RVO). RVO submits the advice requests to substantive experts from various ministries and services. They provide additional information and advice, enabling the knowledge institution to make its own decision to collaborate internationally. As of today, the counter can be reached via www.loketkennisveiligheid.nl. The counter will be further expanded in the course of 2022 with useful tools, such as checklists and webinars.
National Knowledge Security Guide
The National Guideline for Knowledge Security has been developed together with the national government through the joint Dutch field of expertise. Intensive discussions were held with knowledge institutions, the so-called knowledge security dialogue, from which it emerged that there was a strong need for this guideline. The guideline helps knowledge institutions, administrators and researchers by showing them where the risks and threats can be and offers frameworks and guidelines. On the basis of the guideline, institutions can refine and deepen their own policy. The guideline will be updated when developments in the threat assessment and/or policy development around knowledge security so require.
Various parties have contributed to the development of the guideline: Association of Universities of Applied Sciences, Universities of the Netherlands, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research, Netherlands Federation of University Medical Centers, TO2 Federation and various ministries and services of the national government.