968 



International Science Education Programs of NSF 



To provide a precise and accurate history of the Foundation's 

 activities in support of "international science education" is difficult; 

 several different offices have supported many activities for interna- 

 tional science education or what the Foundation calls "international 

 science education-related activities." These are reported to Congress 

 and are programmed under a variety of different categories, including 

 "International Science Activities." ^^^ 



Basically, NSF supports two types of international science educa- 

 tion activities: (1) programs described under the category of inter- 

 national science education, and (2) programs which enable Americans 

 to study, research, and teach abroad as part of NSF's domestic 

 mission. 



DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENCE EDUCATION IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES 



Support and development of programs to develop science education 

 in foreign countries began in 1959. They have been experimental in 

 nature, subject to the use of counterpart funds, and not fully 

 cr^'stallized. Their initiation corresponded with congressional passage 

 of F.L. 86-232, which broadened the Foundation's authority to 

 participate in international scientific activities, permitting NSF to 

 start some cooperative programs in which a two-way flow led to 

 exchanges benefiting both American and foreign scientists. 



When the Foundation's programs began in 1959, they were justified 

 under the limited Congressional mandate authorizing NSF to support 

 science activities to strengthen American science. They were not 

 intended prinfarily/^to support the development of science education 

 in foreign countries. The Foundation explained this rationale in 1960: 



The primary objective of [the international science education activities program] 

 is to strengthen ••eiy IJfatri^i'Yi's Mtal scientific effort through improved programs 

 of science education by providing American scientists and educators with the 

 opportunities to join their foreign colleagues in endeavors that may prove of 

 great value in raising the quality of science education in the United States. 

 At the same time these program activities may result in raising the standards 

 of education in the sciences throughout the Free World. . . , These activities 

 are experimental in design.^^* 



AID-Funded Activities. — Due to the success of NSF experiences in 

 supporting improved methods of teaching science in the United 

 States, the Agency for International Development (AID) and its 

 predecessor, the International Cooperation Administration (ICA), 

 have transferred funds to NSF to administer technical assistance and 

 science education-oriented projects to assist in building a science 

 infrastructure and science education base in several developing 

 countries. Small numbers of American scientific and technical person- 

 nel have been sent abroad under these programs. 



285 Usually data describing fellowships tenable abroad are reported under the Science Education program; 

 NATO fellowships and travel grants undpr International Science Activities (because of collateral funding); 

 Senior Foreign Scientist Fellowships under Education; So^Tet-American exchanges und^r International 

 Information Exchanges; travel grants to Americans under International Information Exchange (except if 

 the awards supported travel to educational conferences); and foreign educators to the United States undf>r 

 collateral funding or International Science Education Activities. NSF annual reports have included reports 

 of other activities under the category of international science education. Under this category, in 1960, the 

 Foundation reported on U.S. scientific participation in the Organisation for European Economic Co-opera- 

 tion, (p. 134). Activities under the Lacy-Zaroubin agreement for the Soviet I^nion were included under 

 Curricula Development Programs in the Annual Report, 1959. Translation activities were included under 

 International Science Education in the Wfto Annual RepoH (p. 135). In the Annual Report, FY 1%6, under 

 education-related support, the Foundation described activities under the Soviet-American exchange pro- 

 gram, NATO Advanced Study Institutes, international travel grants, and visits of foreigners to the U.S. 

 (p. 12fi). 



286 NSF, Annual Report, 1960, op. cit., p. 134. 



