About Trust and Identity for NCRIS

The Australian Government’s 2021 National Research Infrastructure Roadmap identified trust and identity as fundamental research infrastructure. The AAF is an NCRIS enabled trust and identity capability, partnering with national research infrastructures to create a significant step change through a seamless, secure and globally connected research ecosystem.

What is trust and identity?

Trust and identity builds and manages trusted relationships between users and research infrastructures, as well as between research infrastructure providers. A user trusts that their identity and research data will be managed securely and confidentially, and a research infrastructure trusts that the user is who they say they are. It would also mean, that research infrastructure providers can trust each other through a shared understanding of how their infrastructure is managed.

Trust and identity reduces the barriers for organisations by aligning with world leading solutions and frameworks. This results in a greater level of integration and a more secure national research infrastructure system. It allows Australian researchers to securely access infrastructure and services for seamless global connectivity. 

Since 2006, successive NCRIS Roadmaps have recognised trust and identity as fundamental research infrastructure. The AAF Making the Case: An NCRIS Trust and Identity Capability document outlines how the establishment and delivery of a NCRIS funded Trust and Identity program is critical to help inform the longer-term needs of the NCRIS system.

Our Vision

Our vision is the system-wide adoption of trust and identity enabling a more researcher-centric national research infrastructure.

Our Mission

Our mission is to deliver a seamless, privacy enhancing and cyber secure experience for end users of Australia’s national research infrastructure through a system-wide framework for Trust and Identity.
The combination of policies and technology will build a connected research, innovation and translation network, and provide enhanced collaboration opportunities with support from a highly skilled workforce.

Our strategic drivers

1. Enhanced collaboration

Goal: Design infrastructure and resources for a cohesive and connected research ecosystem that enables easy access for collaboration by researchers, industry and government.

Key Activities:

  • Implement a national Trust and Identity (T&I) Framework for NRI interoperability and cyber security.
  • Design a Policy Toolkit to facilitate a shared understanding for accessing, operating and using NRI.
  • Work to enable integrations, extensions and proxies for better connectivity across NRI service providers.
  • Deliver improved trusted access to industry, to enhance research translation.
  • Enable industry, government and research to collaborate by allowing better access to research data and infrastructure.

2. Amplified capability for efficiency

Goal: Deliver faster access to the data and tools researchers need through a world leading suite of T&I tools, services and skills.

Key Activities:

  • Build a library of tools that follow best practice and are cyber secure and underpinned by world-class T&I infrastructure.
  • Coordinate, develop and nurture a skilled workforce ready to support and implement T&I solutions.
  • Deliver training and support to enable frictionless implementation of solutions.
  • Explore and pilot new technologies, frameworks and standards to address the emerging needs of our research communities and research infrastructure providers.

3. Connectivity for global participation

Goal: Connect Australian researchers to increase able to lead and participate in international research programs.

Key Activities:

  • Ensure interoperability and reduce the risk of a fragmented T&I approach within NRI ecosystem through international alignment.
  • Work with leading global T&I groups to influence the development of technology standards and practices to benefit Australia.
  • Leverage world class expertise and investment through partnerships with global T&I research infrastructure operators (CILogon, eduTEAMS, AEGIS). 
  • Enhance Australia’s reputation as a hub for world class research and innovation through international engagement.

4. Thematic deployment for impact

Goal: Harness the full potential of the research infrastructure by deploying T&I solutions to national challenges, creating impactful collaborative partnerships across the NRI ecosystem. 

Key Activities:

  • Build thematic deployments of T&I solutions to support sector wide transformations in research and translation.
  • Develop long term partnerships within NCRIS to support user driven and sustainable T&I solutions.
  • Understand and maintain alignment with national scientific priorities to ensure T&I solutions deliver impact to the research ecosystem.

5. Cyber security for trusted environments

Goal: Build a trusted and secure NRI ecosystem for improved national security, economic competitiveness, and scientific advancement.

Key Activities:

  • Protect our national assets from the threats of cyber security risks and foreign interference through safe and secure T&I infrastructure. 
  • Leverage and deploy leading cyber security expertise across the NRI ecosystem.
  • Provide essential cyber secure underpinning infrastructure to all NRI, enabling identity and access management activities. 

6. Trust and identity for sustainability

Goal: Enable enduring and systemwide T&I improvements for NCRIS.

Key Activities:

  • Realise the value of T&I for AAF’s funders and partners through the implementation of standardised infrastructure.
  • Balance the provision of long term reliable infrastructure against the need to innovate and support cutting edge NRI.
  • Foster long term relationships with national and international research, industry and government partners.
  • Align with the AAF 2020-25 Strategic Plan, national and international research agendas and NRI specific requirements.