TReSI - Trusted Research and Secure Innovation Network logo

Background

UK universities have a legal duty to protect UK research and innovation, managing risks related to national security and investment. Institutions face challenges meeting these requirements consistently and efficiently due to limited resources.

Aims

TReSI (Trusted Research and Secure Innovation Network) aims to build sustainable capabilities across Scottish universities to implement transparent and responsible trusted research and secure innovation practices.

The project will develop a customisable digital toolkit. Anticipated outputs include:

  • Defining minimum requirements for due diligence, monitoring, and reporting across diverse research contexts.
  • Adaptable tools for identifying and managing high-risk research areas.
  • A case study bank to support decision-making and researcher awareness.

Leveraging collaboration across Scotland’s universities, this project will draw on expertise from around the country.

The outputs will be available to all Scottish universities. This shared infrastructure will also strengthen institutions’ abilities to assess and mitigate risks in areas like transnational education and philanthropic partnerships.

Structure

A project staff team hosted at Heriot-Watt University is leading sector-wide agile sprints involving practitioners, decision-makers and external experts.

These sprints will co-produce practical, scalable solutions that fit within existing resource constraints and enhance professional capability.

The project is guided by members of the Universities Scotland Trusted Research and Secure Innovation Practitioners Network. The TReSI Board, with membership from this network and other relevant organisations, will provide governance for the project.

Project partners

The project is a collaboration between 15 Scottish universities.

Heriot-Watt University, Abertay University, Edinburgh Napier University, Glasgow Caledonian University, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, Robert Gordon University, SRUC (Scotland's Rural College), The University of Edinburgh, University of Aberdeen, University of Dundee, University of Glasgow, University of St Andrews, University of Stirling, University of Strathclyde, University of the West of Scotland.

Funding

TReSI is funded by the Scottish Funding Council’s Shared Services Collaboration Fund.

Scottish Funding Council Comhairle Maoineachaidh na h-Alba logo

Other projects funded by the SFC Shared Services Collaboration Fund are:

  • ShaKEs – Shared Knowledge Exchange (KE) Services. This consortium of the six smallest higher education institutions in Scotland is developing a sustainable model for commercialisation and knowledge exchange infrastructure.
  • Scottish Safe Haven Network (SSHN): Shared services. Led by the University of Edinburgh, working with the University of Dundee and Research Data Scotland, this project aims to create a shared services model for accessing data for research in line with the Scottish Government’s strategy for health and social care.
  • The Innovation3 Exchange. A pilot partnership between Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) and the University of Glasgow (UofG).
  • The Tay-Forth Catalyst. This projects aims to create a coordinated and efficient commercialisation ecosystem across the Tay-Forth region, for research at the universities of Dundee, Stirling and St Andrews.