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You are here: Home / Announcements / MicroLearning Monday – What You Need to Know About Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Programs

MicroLearning Monday – What You Need to Know About Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Programs

July 14, 2025

Welcome back to MicroLearning Mondays, our biweekly series of bite-sized research administration trainings brought to you by the Department of Contracts and Grants.

This week’s topic: Protecting Your Research: What You Need to Know About Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Programs

Why It Matters: USC researchers are on the front lines of cutting-edge scholarship and that makes them potential targets for malign foreign talent recruitment programs (MFTRPs). Engaging with these programs, even unknowingly, can put your research, funding, and institution at risk. Recent federal regulations require researchers to certify that they are not participating in such programs, and violations can lead to severe consequences including loss of funding or debarment. Understanding how to recognize and avoid MFTRPs helps protect the integrity of your work and ensures USC remains compliant with federal requirements.

In This Video, You’ll Learn:

  • What qualifies as a Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Program.
  • Red flags to watch for in international collaboration offers.
  • Your responsibilities under federal certification requirements.
  • Where to go at USC for help vetting offers and disclosing affiliations.

👉 Watch “Protecting Your Research: What You Need to Know About Malign Foreign Talent Programs”

Questions or Feedback?

We’re here to help! For anything related to MicroLearning Mondays, please reach out to Noah Congelliere in the Department of Contracts and Grants.

Filed Under: Announcements

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