Academic Security and Counter Exploitation (ASCE) Program

Born from a commitment to safeguarding
the integrity of academic research, ASCE
fosters a sense of community among
university research security professionals,
uniting them in a collaborative defense
against emerging threats. Since its inception in 2017, ASCE is the world’s preeminent gathering for research security training, networking and collaboration.

Submit Proposal
(Closes Aug 31) Suggest ASCE
Session Topic

The ASCE 2026 theme is Securing Knowledge Across Borders: Strengthening International Research Partnerships, under the following four thematic areas:

1) Institutional Research Security: Policy, Compliance, and Implementation
2) Global Collaboration and Strategic Partnerships
3) Emerging Threats and Adaptive Security Strategies
4) Education, Training, and Workforce Development in Research Security

Proposals will be accepted from noon (CST) June 1, 2025 through noon (CST) on August 31, 2025 

Current programs and partners

ASCE increases awareness and provides tools for countering foreign influence in colleges and universities. 

CETPP will provide expertise to research organizations to help protect developing technology from those who may attempt to misappropriate these technologies. The CETPP will house counterintelligence, counterproliferation, and cybersecurity expertise to protect data and intellectual property. The RISC Institute will continue to support your enterprise throughout the operation including conducting Due Diligence Reviews designed to identify potential risk associated with proposed collaborators or industry and developing and implementing clear and comprehensive security policies and procedures specific to research activities.

Take CETPP Assessment

The University Research Security Professional’s Association (URSPA) aims to further the protection of intellectual property, controlled information, key personnel, and critical technologies to mitigate and manage risks from undue foreign influence at U.S. academic institutions conducting research relevant to economic or national security. URSPA also partners with international universities to share best practices and advance research security initiatives globally.

FINAL SECURE Analytics One Pager (hi-res)Download

As mandated in the “CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, the NSF SECURE Center, led by the University of Washington with support from nine institutions of higher education, will serve as a clearinghouse for information to empower the research community to identify and mitigate foreign interference that poses risks to the U.S. research enterprise. The NSF SECURE Center will share information and reports on research security risks, provide training on research security to the science and engineering community, and serve as a bridge between the research community and government funding agencies to strengthen cooperation on addressing security concerns.

For more information on NSF Secure please visit the following url:  https://new.nsf.gov/news/nsf-backed-secure-center-will-support-research