Foreign Interference and Transparency Committee

Purpose and Terms of Reference

The Foreign Interference and Transparency Committee (FITC) drives a university-wide strategy in line with national guidelines to counter foreign interference in the Australian university sector (the UFIT Guidelines). This whole-of-university approach seeks to integrate key activities, roles, and responsibilities across ACU.

The FITC Terms of Reference draw on the four themes outlined in the UFIT Guidelines:

1. 1. Build governance and risk frameworks that promote and strengthen a positive and resilient security culture.

• Ensure continuous improvement of structures, processes and capabilities to keep people, information and assets secure across the university.
• Ensure that research and reporting systems capture foreign arrangements in accordance with the Foreign Arrangements Act 2020 and the Foreign Arrangements Scheme, as well as foreign influence in line with the UFIT Guidelines.
• Foreign interference and other relevant university policies and procedures.

2. Ensure appropriate due diligence in respect of international partners, agreements and activities that recognise the value of global collaboration while considering potential risks.

• Declarations of Interest (DOIs) for all staff and research students engaged in international work.
• Research risk assessments that consider the sensitivity of both the topic and partner.
• Annual audit of all international university partners.
• Compliance with relevant government legislation.

3. Ensure development of communication tools, education programs and knowledge sharing practices that raise awareness of risks and their implications.

• Mandatory online training for staff and students, eg anti-fraud, bribery and corruption, research integrity and national security training including conflict of interest and export controls.
• Central hub, briefings and guidance materials for university staff and research students.
• Department of Defence security briefings on emerging risks and examples of foreign interference in the sector.

4. Ensure the design and implementation of robust cyber security processes, including approaches to data ownership and flows and cyber threat modelling, through sharing cyber intelligence and best practice across government and the sector.

Meeting Schedule: See Governance Committee Calendar

Committee Templates: See Governance Committee Templates

Chair: Professor Abid Khan (Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise)

Governance Support: Dr Matthew Charet, National Manager, Governance

Composition and Membership