Hosting sensitive data overseas
09 Apr 2025
UK Government guidance on protecting your data in the latest in a series of short Trusted Research videos – plus our University’s export control advice around devices.
The latest National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) video – to inform researchers and research-enabling staff about risks and how to mitigate them – explores the negative impact of a data security breach.
It is one of a series of Trusted Research scenario videos, each around 5 minutes long and providing easy to follow advice. The measures you can take to mitigate each scenario are summarised at the end of each video.
This latest video shows how a data security breach could result in reputational damage and the withdrawal of funding from a key partner.
The NPSA recommends exploring National Cyber Security Centre guidance on protecting bulk personal data for further guidance on managing data securely.
Researchers and research-related colleagues are asked to watch the latest scenario-mitigation video at:
The Trusted Research campaign aims to help academics and PS staff keep themselves and their work safe as we face a complex international environment and therefore new and changing potential risks.
You can watch other scenario-mitigation videos at:
You can get more government guidance and all the information you need to keep you and your work secure at:
We welcome feedback on our provision – please contact uninews@manchester.ac.uk if you have any comments or questions.
Travel and laptops
To maintain our global role and provide an effective environment for our academic community, the University is committed to ensuring that our colleagues' trips comply with export controls.
First, determine whether the information in your laptop (or device) is controlled. You MUST NOT travel with that device if it contains controlled information and you do not have a licence in place. If you require a laptop for your travel, request a blank one from IT Services (“Export Control Laptop Service”) on which you will be able to take non-controlled information/data. Alternatively, remove the controlled data from your current device for travel and reinstall it when you are back.
Our international engagement
Vice President for Social Responsibility and Chair of Research Compliance Committee and Research Relationships Oversight Group, Professor Nalin Thakkar explains: “Our international engagement has always been academically driven, allowing collaborations to flourish. This will always be the case, but we face changing geopolitical landscape. We all need to play our part in mitigating any potential threats to our own security as well as our University’s and our nation’s security.
"The University is here to support you as you work with partners and funders across the world to combat global challenges, to ensure that you and your work remain safe.”