HEECA was established in November 2021 by professionals at the UK’s leading research universities.
What we do
- Collaborate to build an informed approach to Export Control Compliance that is consistent at a national level.
- Provide guidance and training materials that address specific Export Control challenges the sector faces.
- Organise events to raise awareness of legal requirements and to discuss, develop and promote best practice.
- Use academic experts to consider how the entries on the UK export control lists apply to real-world research.
- Help universities make informed decisions about how to implement and manage Export Control Compliance.
We work with the Universities UK Export Control Group (ECG), which considers the application of export controls in academia, and addresses emerging technologies, at a strategic level. The ECG forum works with representatives from:
- HM Government
- UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)
- Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI)
HEECA Secretariat
What the Secretariat does
- Co-ordinates and supports all of the work of the network.
- Oversees the planning and organisation of HEECA activities and events.
- Facilitates the development and promotion of guidance and best practice materials.
- Engages with the Universities UK Export Control Group (ECG) and builds engagement with other export control associations worldwide
Dr Irene Barinaga-Rementeria Ramirez
Risk Manager (Regulatory), University of Manchester
First Chair of HEECA. Member of the national Export Control Group (ECG). I work at The University of Manchester as Risk Manager (Regulatory), and Export Controls have been part of my portfolio since 2017.
I look forward to working with others in the HE sector to disseminate the vast knowledge the various institutions have accumulated on export control compliance in the last few years.
Christopher Buckland
Research Commercial Director, RAI, Cranfield University
I have 15 years of experience with export controls in the context of the Higher Education sector with a mixture of military and dual use focus.
More widely within Cranfield, I am responsible and accountable for an ‘end to end’ financial and contractual business support function in relation to research and consultancy activities, overseeing bid management, costing and pricing strategy, risk management/governance (due diligence, export control and security), and research contracts.
Professor Tim Bedford
Associate Principal for Research & Innovation, University of Strathclyde
I have two roles at the University: leading the Research and Innovation portfolio, with a particular focus on the Innovation aspects, working closely with other senior colleagues each of whom has specific responsibilities within R&I. I am also Professor of Decision and Risk Analysis.
I continue to teach, supervise PhDs and conduct research in probabilistic risk analysis, uncertainty modelling, reliability and maintenance modelling, structured expert judgement and decision analysis.
Diran Solanke
International Risk & Export Control Manager, Imperial College London
I work within Imperial’s central Research Office, with responsibility for the coordination and development of key capabilities, including responsible exporting and related security matters for international opportunities.
I have a background in HE R&D operations, managing research contracting and associated collaboration and compliance considerations, developing business processes and institutional policy.
Derek MacLeod
Head of Global Partnerships, University of Edinburgh
I support the University’s global strategic partnerships, working closely with the University’s Regional Teams based in Shanghai, Singapore, Mumbai, New York City and Santiago.
I also coordinate the University’s Security & Risk in International Partnerships Group and my team are responsible for bringing together colleagues from across the University to implement government and wider sector guidance.
Rosemary Boyle
Senior Commercial Lawyer, University of Cambridge
I have worked in export control compliance since the early 2010s, engaging with the ECJU and speaking at conferences. I was joint lead author of the 2015 AULP Higher Education Guide to Export Control and ATAS, which was endorsed by the Export Control Organisation and Foreign Office.
I provide the legal support to the export control practitioners in Cambridge.
Dr Lisa Crawley
Export Controls Compliance Officer, University of Manchester
I work in the Regulatory Compliance Office at The University of Manchester, with the responsibility for export controls amongst other areas of compliance. Prior to export controls I worked in the field of Information Compliance legislation and also as an archivist – both at The University of Manchester
Dr Rhys Morgan
Head of Policy, Integrity and Governance, University of Cambridge
I am Head of Research Policy, Governance and Integrity in the University of Cambridge’s Research Strategy Office.
I oversee the University’s export control policy, guidance and training and my team supports the University’s export licence processes.
David Reid
Risk Contracts Manager, University of Strathclyde
David works within the Grants and Contracts team, part of Research & Knowledge Exchange Services, supporting University staff in their applications for external funding related to Research & Knowledge Exchange activities.
The team also provides a risk management role for the University, delivers specialist expertise in corporate transactions, and manages the IPR portfolio.