Disclosures & Foreign Talent Programs

Sidebar

Federal agencies require researchers to disclose certain relationships, affiliations, and sources of support to promote transparency, protect research integrity, and mitigate the risk of foreign interference. Although specifics vary slightly by agency, the core requirements are aligned under the National Security Presidential Memorandum - 33 (NSPM- 33) and the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. While each agency will have specific requirements, in general, key research personnel must disclose:  

  • Current & Pending (Other) Support: all research funding (foreign and domestic), in-kind contributions, and committed effort—even if unpaid.
  • Appointments & Affiliations: All academic, professional, or honorary positions at any institution, paid or unpaid.
  • Foreign Talent Program Participation: Involvement in foreign government-sponsored talent programs, especially those prohibited by federal agencies.
  • Biosketches: Complete list of appointments and roles in alignment with agency-specific formats (e.g. SciENcv)
  • Collaborations, Affiliations, & Co-Authorships: Names of collaborators, co-authors, and advisors from the past four years, for conflict of interest and peer review screening. 

Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Programs 

Foreign talent recruitment programs are initiatives—often backed by foreign governments or institutions—that aim to attract researchers to work abroad. Many such programs raise national security concerns, and participation in malign foreign talent programs is now prohibited under federal funding rules. A malign foreign talent program is a foreign-sponsored recruitment effort that includes incentives to transfer U.S. research or technology to another country in ways that may violate U.S. laws, compromise research integrity, or pose national security risks. These programs often require secrecy, duplicate funding, or improper affiliations. 

Faculty and researchers must not:  

  • Participate in any foreign talent program that meets the federal definition of a "malign" program
  • Accept funding, appointments, or titles from such programs without prior review and institutional approval 

Is my foreign talent program malign?

View federal resources on Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Programs.