In the UK, coordination of international science and engineering partnerships between Government Departments is facilitated via the UK Global Science and Innovation Forum (GSIF). The Forum, chaired by the UK Government's Chief Scientific Advisor, brings together senior officials from the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Department for International Development, Department for Health, and a number of other Departments and bodies, including the UK Research Councils.
In 2006 GSIF published the UK Strategy for International Engagement in R&D, which is based around four priorities which are:
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research excellence - through strengthened international collaborations and attracting the best researchers to the UK;
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excellence in innovation - through UK businesses accessing international science and by attracting international R&D investments to the UK;
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global influence - by using international science to underpin foreign policy and as a tool to promote bilateral partnerships; and
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development - using research and innovation to meet international development goals, in line with the UK White Paper on "Eliminating World Poverty".