Research Policy Handbook

8.5

Export Controls and Stanford’s Openness in Research Policy

Now in Policy Details

Expresses Stanford’s commitment to ensure freedom of access to information that is central to the intellectually significant portions of the research; clarifies that Stanford will not accept export controlled information in the conduct of university fundamental research that disadvantages any foreign national member of a research group because of resulting access restrictions.

1. Openness in Research Policy

Stanford's Openness in Research Policy expresses our institutional commitment to "the principle of freedom of access by all interested persons to the underlying data, to the processes, and to the final results of research." This policy does not forbid nondisclosure agreements, but such a commitment may relate only to such information that is substantially remote from the intellectually significant portions of the research. A promise not to disclose export-controlled information may be appropriate, so long as keeping the confidentiality of that information will not disadvantage any other researchers on the same project and receipt of that information is not conditioned on submitting to restrictions on the right to publish.

Once it is determined that the nondisclosure commitment does not violate the Openness in Research Policy, it must be determined that the intended recipient is in fact "eligible" under the regulations.