Office of Science and Technology Policy

International S&T Cooperation

"[M]y administration is ramping up participation in—and our commitment to—international science and technology cooperation across the many areas where it is clearly in our interest to do so." -- President Obama at the National Academy of Sciences, April 27, 2009

US-India S&T collaboration

OSTP Director John P. Holdren and India's Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology Dr. T. Ramasmi present awards to three grant winners from the U.S-Indian Endowment Board -- which promotes joint activities that lead to innovation and techno-preneurship through the application of science and technology. (Official US State Department Photo)

“…We must continue to expand cooperation and partnership in science and technology.  We have launched a number of Science Envoys around the globe and are promoting stronger relationships between American scientists, universities, and researchers and their counterparts abroad.  We will reestablish a commitment to science and technology in our foreign assistance efforts and develop a strategy for international science and national security”  -- National Security Strategy, May 2010

In accordance with the National Science and Technology Policy, Organization, and Priorities Act of 1976, OSTP, through its National Security and International Affairs Division, works to “further international cooperation in science and technology.”  OSTP, in coordination with the State Department, represents the United States in bilateral and multilateral meetings with foreign nations, and works closely with government science agencies, independent research and scientific institutions, and non-governmental organizations to promote S&T initiatives and strengthen global science cooperation. Furthermore, OSTP works to ensure that scientists in the United States and around the world benefit from working collaboratively and gaining access to cutting-edge facilities and innovations. OSTP also worked with the State Department to establish the Science Envoy program and with US Agency for International Development on the Center of Excellence deliverables from President Obama’s Cairo speech in June 2009. 

Joint Commission Meetings & International S&T Engagements: 

To enhance science and technology cooperation, the OSTP Director chairs Joint Commission Meetings on a regular basis with six partner nations: Brazil, China, India, Japan, Korea, and Russia. OSTP also regularly engages with the international S&T community to improve collaboration and increase opporunities for productive cooperation.

Past meetings:

Science Envoys Program: 

In 2009, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced the first three Science Envoys—independent scientific experts who commit to travel abroad in their capacity as private citizens and advise the White House, U.S. Department of State, and scientific community about the insights gained from their experiences. In November, 2012, Secretary Clinton announced three new Envoys, representing the third cohort of the Envoys program: Professor Bernard Amadei, Professor Susan Hockfield, and Professor Barbara Schaal.  Previous Envoys have visited 19 countries, including Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, South Africa, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Azerbaijan. 

Relevant Resources:

State Department website about Environment, Science, Technology, and Health (ESTH) Officers 

First Anniversary of President Obama's Cairo Speech: One year after President Obama's historic 2009 speech in Cairo, in which he launched an Initiative on Science and Technology Engagement with the Muslim World, OSTP engaged in a series of events to recognize progress made toward advancing Administration efforts in this domain.

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