Building a New Foundation for Innovation

This study reports the efforts of a workshop to build partnerships between universities, industry, and governments. In 2000, the National Science Foundation (NSF) created the Partnerships for Innovation (PFI) program. The PFI is part of a larger NSF effort to build a new foundation for innovation based upon partnerships between university, industry, and local and regional governments that also will be responsive to emerging economic and social challenges facing the nation. In June 2001, a workshop held in Arlington, Virginia, brought together PFI grantees and representatives from university and industry to consider the roles of the PFI and the NSF in the larger national innovation enterprise. This report synthesizes workshop discussions regarding innovation and sustainable partnerships. The workshop revealed strong support for a formal evaluation of the PFI program and endorsed both an expanded NSF role in promoting innovation and partnerships through the PFI and other programs and continued efforts by NSF to further diversify and better exploit synergies between its innovation-supporting programs. (PB) The National Science Foundation created the Partnerships for Innovation program in 2000. This report synthesizes workshop discussions regarding innovation and sustainable partnerships between universities, industry, and government, and participants' strong endorsement of an expanded NSF role promoting these activities.