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Security Sensitive Research Projects at the AA
The AA School is committed to the education of young architects delivered to the highest standards.
Students of the AA School are supported through all levels of their architectural education by
teachers and staff with appropriate experience, ambition and creativity. The flexible and largely selfdirected curricula constantly challenge teachers and students alike to discover, communicate and
disseminate new and innovative architectural ideas and projects.
Exploration of a diversity of approaches and agendas within the discipline is the fundamental
pedagogic approach of the AA School. The range of issues taught and explored within the Studios,
Units and Programmes aims to empower students to shape architecture through their own highly
focused, dedicated and personal approach. Consequently, the AA School recognises that research
can be conducted on issues that are controversial and where information may be deemed securitysensitive. Equally, that the academic output of such research is sometimes open to misinterpretation
by the authorities, and can put authors in danger of arrest and prosecution under, counter-terrorism
legislation. Prosecutions under counter-terrorism legislation in the UK have sometimes been brought
on the basis of an accumulation on personal computers of downloaded material and other data. It
will not always be possible for police to distinguish immediately between the accumulation of such
material for legitimate research purposes and the accumulation of material for terrorist purposes.
It is important to understand legitimate researchers can be suspected of obtaining information and
using it in ways that can be harmful, unauthorised acquisition and use of security-sensitive
information can carry risks to the public. Academic oversight can help to prevent both kinds of
issues. To this end the AA School has created a document which provides guidance on the storage
and circulation of such material (See Appendix A-C)
Student’s trying to carry out security-sensitive projects in a legal environment will be monitored by
the relevant member of academic staff. Students will be identified by the relevant Unit
Master/Programme Director as wanting to pursue a project which is security sensitive. The student
will be made aware of how such material is to be stored.
Secure AA file store
The AA School has multiple secure digital file stores and all students of the School are provided with
personal storage on the School server which is password protected. The AA School’s Network
Manager has authorised access to all stored data. Any student who wishes to carry out a securitysensitive project is required to save all security-sensitive work within their AA personal storage. Any
material that is in paper form must be scanned and stored electronically. Storage of securitysensitive material is not permitted on iCloud, drop box, external hard drives, memory sticks/keys or
any other external storage devises. The purpose of the store on the server is to identify the material
as being for academic research and not for further circulation.
Key personnel who will be aware of a security-sensitive project
The pursuit of a security-sensitive research project must be agreed in the first instance with the Unit
Master/Programme Director. On such occasion, the following personnel of the AA School must
subsequently be informed that the project is taking place: the Chairs of the Undergraduate and
Graduate Management Committees (UMC/GMC), the Safeguarding Officer, the Network Manager,
Head of Facilities and the School Registrar.
Internal enquiries
Internal enquires would start with the unexpected discovery of someone being inappropriately in
possession of security-sensitive material. Hard copy material may be in circulation although it is
discouraged (see Appendix B, question 3)
AA School procedure on discovery of security-sensitive material – internal enquiry
Discovery of hard-copy
security-sensitive material
Inform AA Security
Inform Safeguarding Officer
Verification of a relevant
declared research project,
obtain by confirming with
Unit Master/Programme
Director
Refer to Prevent Working Group
- Security, IT, HR, Registrar,
Chair of UG/PG Management
Committee and Safeguarding
Officer
Inform Director of the School
If appropriate, Safeguarding
Officer informs BIS Regional Coordinator/ Local PREVENT Leads
External enquiries
Enquires from the police that arise from their own discovery or externally reported discovery of
security-sensitive material associated with the AA School or with an AA student researcher will also
start with the AA Safeguarding Officer. The AA School will inform Police and Local Prevent Leads of
the designated point of contact (Safeguarding Officer). It is hoped, authorities properly briefed in
this way are likely to treat suspected AA School associated material as innocent until proven
otherwise.
AA advice on discovery of security-sensitive material – external enquiry
Police
Discovery of security-sensitive
material
Safeguarding Officer
Appendix A
Does your research fit into any of the following security-sensitive categories? (Please indicate which)
a) Commissioned by the military
Yes
No
b) Involves the acquisition of security clearance
Yes
No
c) Concerns terrorists or extremist groups
Yes
No
If your question to c is yes, continue to Appendix B.
Appendix B
The Terrorism Act (2006) outlaws the dissemination of records, statements and other documents
that can be interpreted as promoting or endorsing terrorist acts.
1) Does your project involve the storage on a computer of any such records, statements or
other documents?
Yes
No
2) Will your project involve the electronic transmission (e.g. as an email attachment) of such
records or statements?
Yes
No
3) If you answered ‘Yes’ to questions 1 or 2, you are advised to store the relevant records or
statements electronically on a secure AA file store. If there are any paper documents with a
similar content, these should be scanned and uploaded. Access to this file will be protected
by a password unique to you (Point of contact: Mathew Bielecki – [email protected])
Please confirm the following:
3a) you agree to store all documents relevant to question 1 and 2 on the secure AA file store
Yes
3b) you agree not to email electronically to any third party, documents in the secure AA file
store
Yes
4) Will your research involve visits to websites that might be associated with extreme or
terrorist organisations?
Yes
No
5) If you answer ‘Yes’ to question 4, you are advised that such sites may be subject to
surveillance by the police. Accessing those sites from the AA IP address might lead to police
enquires. Please acknowledge that you understand this risk by putting an ‘X’ on the ‘Yes’ box
below.
Yes
I give consent to the AA Network Manager to access data stored in the AA secure store, the
student’s personal storage. (AA Network Manager: Mathew Bielecki)
Yes
Student’s signature......................................................................
Unit Master/Programme Director...............................................
Date.............................................................................................
Appendix C
Advice on internet use from an AA IP address
The Terrorism Act (2006) outlaws web posting of material that encourages or endorses terrorist acts,
even terrorist acts carried out in the past. Sections of the Terrorism Act also creates a risk of
prosecution for those who transmit material of this nature, including transmitting this material
electronically. The storage of such material on a computer can, if discovered, prompt a police
investigation.
Visits to websites related to terrorist groups or organisation and downloading of material issued by
extremist groups (even from open-access sites) may be subject to monitoring by the police.