Trusted Research Workshop 1: Naming the Problem – Why Trusted Research Isn’t Yet Cultural
2pm – 5pm3 November 2025
London & Hybrid
techUK, 10 St Bride Street, London, EC4A 4AD
About the series
Trusted Research underpins the integrity, reputation and global standing of UK research. While policies and frameworks exist, they are not yet fully embedded as everyday practice. This series of three workshops will bring together voices from across the sector to look at cultural barriers and opportunities, ahead of the Trusted & Secure Research Conference in 2026.
The workshops are open to those directly involved in the Trusted Research space, as well as techUK members who are interested in supporting this initiative. For members, this is an opportunity to demonstrate the increasing importance of technology practice, solutions and services in helping research institutions maintain a mature security posture.
Structure
Each workshop runs for two hours as a guided conversation. Using collaborative tools, participants will share reflections, respond to prompts, and contribute to group mapping and prioritisation exercises.
This session
Workshop 1 will surface the cultural barriers that prevent Trusted Research from becoming part of institutional and partnership practice. Together we will map the blockers and highlight the gap between what is set out in policy and what is lived day to day.
Questions we will reflect on:
What norms, incentives, or pressures make it hard for Trusted Research to take root?
How do researchers actually experience governance, training or security interventions?
Where are the disconnections between what is written down and what is practised?
Next in the series
Workshop 2, Aligning Behaviour and Accountability – Cultural Governance for Trusted Research, will look at how governance structures support or undermine cultural norms. Read about Workshop 2
Austin Earl
Programme Manager, Education and EdTech, techUK
Austin Earl
Programme Manager, Education and EdTech, techUK
Austin leads techUK’s Education and EdTech programme, shaping strategies that support the digital transformation of schools, colleges, and universities. His work focuses on strengthening the UK’s education technology ecosystem, enhancing core technology foundations, and advancing the adoption of emerging technologies to improve educational outcomes.
Austin also chairs the EdTech Advisory Panel for AI in Education, contributing to national discussions on the future of EdTech, AI, and the UK's Education system.
Programme Team Assistant for Public Sector Markets, techUK
Fran Richiusa
Programme Team Assistant for Public Sector Markets, techUK
Fran serves as the Programme Team Assistant within techUK’s Public Sector Market Programmes, where she is responsible for delivering comprehensive team support, managing administrative functions, and fostering strong relationships with members.
Prior to joining techUK in May 2025, Fran built a meaningful career in the charitable and local government sectors. She worked extensively with both victims and perpetrators of crime, and notably led the coordination of Domestic Homicide Reviews across Surrey—an initiative aimed at identifying lessons and preventing future incidents of domestic abuse.
Outside of work, Fran is an avid traveller and a proud cat mum who enjoys unwinding with her feline companions.
techUK’s Education and EdTech programmeseeks to address this challenges by bridging the gap between education, the tech industry, and policymakers. We ensure that education institutions can effectively adopt technology that enhances learning, streamlines operations, and supports skills development. Visit the programme page here
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Austin leads techUK’s Education and EdTech programme, shaping strategies that support the digital transformation of schools, colleges, and universities. His work focuses on strengthening the UK’s education technology ecosystem, enhancing core technology foundations, and advancing the adoption of emerging technologies to improve educational outcomes.
Austin also chairs the EdTech Advisory Panel for AI in Education, contributing to national discussions on the future of EdTech, AI, and the UK's Education system.
Programme Team Assistant for Public Sector Markets, techUK
Fran Richiusa
Programme Team Assistant for Public Sector Markets, techUK
Fran serves as the Programme Team Assistant within techUK’s Public Sector Market Programmes, where she is responsible for delivering comprehensive team support, managing administrative functions, and fostering strong relationships with members.
Prior to joining techUK in May 2025, Fran built a meaningful career in the charitable and local government sectors. She worked extensively with both victims and perpetrators of crime, and notably led the coordination of Domestic Homicide Reviews across Surrey—an initiative aimed at identifying lessons and preventing future incidents of domestic abuse.
Outside of work, Fran is an avid traveller and a proud cat mum who enjoys unwinding with her feline companions.
