International collaborations strengthen education and scholarship at Rice by connecting our faculty, scholars, and students to global expertise, perspectives, and resources—advancing our vision to deliver personalized scale for global impact. As we commit to unparalleled excellence as a premier teaching and research university, thoughtfully managed global partnerships elevate the quality and reach of on-campus research, propel interdisciplinary discovery, and prepare Rice graduates to lead in a globally engaged workforce. However, international engagement also presents potential national security and regulatory risks that must be carefully evaluated. To uphold research security, fulfill federal export control compliance requirements, and protect university assets while fostering open global partnerships, be sure to review the following requirements before engaging in international activities, exporting materials, or establishing new foreign partnerships:

Know-Your-Partner & Foreign Collaborator Screening

To align with Rice’s commitment to world-class research and research security, all foreign collaborations require proactive due diligence to ensure transparency and compliance. Rice emphasizes screening foreign institutions, companies, and individual collaborators to verify affiliations and compliance with federal restricted-party lists.

What You Need to Know

• Verify Direct Collaborators: Confirm the identity and institutional affiliation of external partners.
• Identify Funder & Third-Party Connections: Determine who is funding your collaborator’s work and whether they plan to involve additional external collaborators.

How to Request Screening

Restricted Party Screening is the first step before initiating new international engagements. Submit your screening requests through the RSEC Intake prior to entering into agreements, hosting foreign scholars, or sharing technical data.

Deemed Exports & Foreign Person Participation

A deemed export occurs when controlled technology, technical data, or source code is released, disclosed, or shared with a foreign national within the United States—under U.S. law, such a release is legally "deemed" an export to that individual’s home country. Because foreign scholars and international collaborators are central to Rice University’s mission to deliver world-class research with global impact, understanding and managing deemed exports is essential to safeguarding our research enterprise. Rice researchers must carefully monitor any project provisions that restrict publication of research results or participation based on citizenship or nationality. Accepting these restrictions—whether formally in a sponsored research agreement or informally in a side arrangement—can void the Fundamental Research Exclusion (FRE) and potentially trigger U.S. export control licensing requirements. When controlled information or technology must be accessed or hosted on campus, the specific operational and security safeguards are documented in a Technology Control Plan (TCP). If you anticipate publication or personnel restrictions on any research activity, contact the Office of Research Security and Export Controls (RSEC) immediately via the RSEC Intake. RSEC works directly with all Rice stakeholders to establish TCPs, deliver required export-compliance training, and ensure that all access aligns with federal regulations and university agreements.