The document, presented by Rebecca L. Keiser, Head of the Office of International Science and Engineering at the National Science Foundation (NSF), outlines the objectives, criteria, budgetary context, and key programs associated with NSF’s international research engagement. International collaborations are emphasized as vital for accessing diverse expertise, facilities, and data, leveraging limited resources, exchanging techniques, and tackling challenges of national and global scale. Such partnerships are also seen as instrumental in nurturing globally engaged researchers and advancing the frontiers of science and engineering. The NSF supports only the U.S. side of these collaborations, with engagement guided by criteria aiming to accelerate scientific progress, maximize NSF investments, and advance workforce development.
Amidst an overall 11.2% decrease in the FY18 NSF budget request compared to FY16, the Office of International Science and Engineering faced a 10.3% budget reduction. Flagship initiatives like the Partnerships for International Research and Education (PIRE) and the International Research Experience for Students (IRES) facilitate high-impact, collaborative research and training opportunities for U.S. students and researchers worldwide, despite low funding rates. External evaluation highlights the long-term value of PIRE in fostering impactful and sustainable international collaborations, enhancing student and postdoc productivity, and contributing to institutional missions. Additional programs, such as the USAID-supported PEER, promote research capacity in developing countries. Community engagement efforts, through roundtables with academic organizations and scientific societies, identify both opportunities and challenges in international research—most notably the need for trust-building, effective communication, increased diversity, and sustainable networks amidst bureaucratic and logistical obstacles. Overall, the document underscores NSF’s commitment to fostering robust global science and engineering collaborations to ensure a competitive and internationally engaged U.S. research community.
