The UO is deeply committed to freedom of inquiry and the advancement of knowledge. The institution remains steadfast in its commitment to international collaboration and in its stance against national origin discrimination. The UO is also committed to complying with the changing landscape of federal regulations concerning national security and global engagement. Congress and federal agencies have raised concerns about inappropriate foreign influence on the work of U.S. higher education institutions.

What Are Export Control Regulations? 

Designed to support national security, economic security, and foreign policy interests of the United States, export control regulations govern the transfer of information, items, and technologies to foreign countries and foreign persons.

The regulations affect not only the shipment of items outside the U.S., but also research conducted by international employees on campus, travel with UO equipment outside the U.S., and collaborations with entities abroad.

Export control regulations apply to university research and scholarship when:

• International employees, visiting scholars, or students conduct research at the UO
• Employees travel abroad with research-related items, software, equipment, and/or information
• Employees engage in collaborations with researchers, academics, organizations located outside the U.S.
• Items, software, and/or information are shipped outside of the U.S.
• Sponsored research contains clauses requiring confidentiality
• A non-disclosure agreement is in place for an employee or the employee's unit

The above list is not exhaustive, but is representative of many scenarios on campus in which export control regulations apply. Please click a category in the buttons below to learn more about that specific topic. We encourage employees to email us with questions.

Do I Need a License?

The UO is eligible for the fundamental research exemption, which exempts it from some significant export control requirements.  Under this exemption, basic and applied research in science and engineering in which the results are published and shared broadly do not require an export control license.

Many, but not all, activities within the university fall under this exemption. 

However, some activities do not qualify for the fundamental research exemption. For example, research in which the UO accepts publication restrictions or certain confidentiality clauses or in which the sponsor prohibits the participation of foreign persons does not qualify for the exemption. Even when an exemption applies to a project itself, export control regulations may still apply to certain equipment and chemicals. 

Many export control compliance measures take place automatically and seamlessly as part of regular administrative processes.

Typically, few exports at the UO will require an export control license, and many situations at the UO will qualify for an exemption. The university must document its analysis, including the availability of an exemption, and departments should not undertake this analysis on their own. The UO must apply for and receive an export control license if one is needed prior to engaging in the activity. 

Even if export control regulations may not apply, we encourage employees to request a compliance check on an international researcher, academic, or organization before engaging in a collaboration.

Contact Us

677 E 12th Ave, Suite 500
Eugene, OR 97401

Report a Research Security Concern

To report a research security concern, click the button below. Then, navigate to "Research" and select "Export Controls."