A clearly articulated statement of the principles of the partnership will help clarify the roles, responsibilities, and expectations of each of the partners and establish a framework for addressing future issues as they arise. Ultimately, an agreed upon statement of principles also would serve to shape future discussions, to formulate policies, and to help guide decision-making. The process itself of engaging the government and university partners in a dialogue will increase mutual understanding and provide a good foundation for resolving complex issues in the future. The purpose of this notice is to help further this dialogue. These were developed through interagency review and discussion that benefited greatly from input provided by the university community.
Further dialogue is needed among all stakeholders before the principles are finalized.
The goals in developing a statement of principles are to help foster an environment that promotes scientific discovery, technological innovation, and the development of the next generation of scientists and engineers. The Federal government recognizes the importance to the nation of the American university system and is driven by a desire to sustain that special resource for maximum benefit to the nation. A statement of principles will help articulate these goals, and provide guidance for translating these goals into actions. In order to be most effective, these principles must be understood and agreed upon by the parties to it. The following are guiding principles that govern interactions between the Federal government and universities that perform research.