Foreign Talent Recruitment Programs

Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) is committed to fostering a collaborative learning environment of open scientific research, the intellectual exchange of ideas, and international academic research collaborations and engagement. VUMC is also committed to ensuring the security of this research, in partnership with federal research agencies.

There are three major categories of international research activities: 

  1. International Collaboration
  2. Foreign Talent Recruitment Programs
  3. Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Programs

These categories are defined by the CHIPS and Science Act and resulting Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) policy guidance to help guide federal research agencies in drafting and implementing their individual policies. Available agency policies will be linked under "Resources" as they become available. 

Each activity category has unique considerations and restrictions, at both the institutional- and agency-level. All VUMC personnel should carefully read the VUMC "Participation in Foreign Talent Recruitment Programs" policy. VUMC personnel should report all sources of foreign support on conflict of interest disclosures, at least annually. All VUMC personnel should also comply with individual agency requirements. 

Contact Susan Meyn (s.meyn@vumc.org)  or Amy Martinez (amy.f.martinez@vumc.org) with any questions about international collaborations or foreign talent recruitment programs.

Vanderbilt University guidance on Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Programs is found here.

  • The VUMC "Participation in Foreign Talent Recruitment Programs" policy is effective as of July 2024. The policy defines Foreign Talent Recruitment Programs and outlines acceptable and prohibited international collaboration activities.

    Download the policy here.

     

    VUMC employees may also access the policy in Policy Tech. 

  • The following Research Agency policies have stipulations that prohibit covered individuals* from participating in Malign Foreign Talent Programs. This page is regularly updated as new agency policies are announced.

    Two Chemistry Assistant Professors Selected for NSF CAREER Awards | Department of Chemistry

    DOD Brand Guide

    *Covered Individuals: Per the CHIPs and Science Act (Section 10638), "the term 'covered individual' means an individual who— 

    1. contributes in a substantive, meaningful way to the scientific development or execution of a research and development project proposed to be carried out with a research and development award from a Federal research agency; and 
    2. is designated as a covered individual by the Federal research agency concerned." 

    Research agencies may expand upon this definition in their individual policies.