‘Binding agreements on knowledge security’

‘Binding agreements on knowledge security’

Minister Dijkgraaf wants knowledge security to become an ‘integral part’ of university policy. During a parliamentary debate on Wednesday 9 February, he promised to make ‘binding agreements’ on this. The supervisory boards will have to monitor this. And in turn, the Minister will meet with these boards twice a year to see if they are keeping an eye on things.

Dijkgraaf said he is worried. Dutch knowledge institutions are regularly the target of influence and interference, and he believes that this will not stop any time soon. “Then we have to arm ourselves against it.” The minister, however, is wary of ‘blunt methods’ that will ‘lock up’ the knowledge system, although it is ‘absolutely possible that at some point we will be able to draw some kind of generic conclusions about specific domains and specific exchange programmes’.

For example, there are already knowledge embargoes against Iran and North Korea. There will also be an assessment framework for everyone from outside the European Union, Dijkgraaf wrote earlier. He expects that to be implemented in the course of 2023. (HOP, JvE)