The U.S. government maintains these agreements to support and encourage international cooperation in science and technology. In this report, we categorize the international S&T agreements into four types: (1) government-level bilateral agreements between the U.S. government and the government of another country, (2) agency-level bilateral agreements between a U.S. agency and a research agency of a foreign country that are related to a government-level agreement and provide additional details that define how each agency will cooperate, (3) agency-level bilateral agreements between a U.S. agency and a research agency of a foreign country that are not related to a government-level agreement, and (4) agency-level multilateral agreements between a U.S. agency and research agencies of international organization and/or of two or more foreign countries. Number of International S&T Agreements

During fiscal year 1997, the seven agencies we reviewed participated in 575 international S&T agreements. Fifty-seven countries participated in bilateral agreements, while 8 international organizations and 10 groups of organizations and/or countries participated in multilateral agreements. Most S&T Agreements Result in Research Projects or Other Research-Related Activities

More than 90 percent of the international S&T agreements active in fiscal year 1997 resulted in research projects or other research-related activities. The percentage of agency agreements resulting in projects or other activities during this time ranged from 61 percent at the National Institutes of Health to 98 percent at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. In total, 93 percent of the agency agreements, 506 in all, resulted in projects or other research-related activities such as consultations among scientists and exchanges of data and/or personnel. Agencies’ officials told us that some agreements did not result in projects because the participating agencies of either country changed their S&T priorities or were unable to fund projects after negotiating an agreement.
Why GAO Did This Study

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on the U.S. government's international science and technology (S&T) agreements that support and encourage international cooperation in research and development, focusing on the: (1) number of international S&T agreements active during fiscal year (FY) 1997; and (2) number of these agreements that resulted in research projects or other activities.

What GAO Found

GAO noted that: (1) during FY 1997, the 7 agencies GAO reviewed participated in 575 international science and technology agreements with 57 countries, 8 international organizations, and 10 groups of organizations or countries; (2) 54 of the agreements were between the U.S. government and the government of another country; (3) the remaining 521 agreements were signed by representatives of an U.S. agency and representatives of an agency of a foreign government(s) or international organization; (4) more than 90 percent of the international science and technology agreements resulted in research projects or other research-related activities, such as consultations among scientists and exchanges of data and personnel; (5) the percentage of agency agreements that resulted in projects and other activities ranged, by agency, from 61 percent at the National Institutes of Health to 98 percent at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; and (6) agencies' officials told GAO that changes in either country's science priorities or inability to fund projects after negotiating an agreement are frequently the reasons some agreements do not result in research projects.