Knowledge security is defined as:

• Preventing the undesirable transfer of sensitive knowledge and technology, which could have negative implications for national and international security and the Netherlands’ ability to innovate.
• Preventing undesirable influence and interference in higher education and research by states/countries, which could lead to self-censorship and impairment of academic freedom. 
• Preventing ethical issues, for example when collaborating with individuals and institutions in countries where fundamental rights are not respected. 

To safeguard knowledge security within the university, we have established the Knowledge Security Policy Framework, which describes our approach to knowledge security in international collaborations. This document is aligned with the National Knowledge Security Guidelines, formulated by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW) together with the Dutch education and knowledge institutions. When entering into new collaborations, you should always weigh the opportunities (interests) against the risks, and assess whether a collaboration is permitted and desirable. To make this assessment, you should use the Knowledge Security Flowchart.

FAQs 

If you have a question about knowledge security, take a look at the FAQs to see if the answer is given there. 

Tools and tips 

If you want to assess whether a collaboration is permitted and desirable, or would simply like to learn more about knowledge security, you will find some handy tools and tips here.