Irdeto's strong ties to academia have led to the formulation of joint research laboratories with leading institutions, particularly in China.

The first Irdeto joint research lab was established in 2009 at Northwest University located in the ancient Chinese capital city of Xian. The Northwest-Irdeto Information Security Joint Lab (NSIL) is the first research lab to focuses on software security and protection research in China.

Based on the mutual interest, State Key Laboratory of Information Security (SKLOIS), and Irdeto, a joint research laboratory has been proposed and is being established in Beijing. SKOLIS is managed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and has a 20 year history of conducting research and developing critical technology in the area of information security as a most respected and influenced research institution in China.