Maintaining U.S. competitiveness in science and technology rests on four key pillars, according to a new report released Wednesday by federal nonprofit MITRE.

Assessing the overall science and technology landscape in the United States, the report found that U.S. leadership in key industries could only be ensured by establishing a dedicated department for public-private research, expanding domestic and international partnerships, mitigating research security risks, and developing and retaining a specialized workforce.

MITRE’s release comes at a time when geopolitical tensions continue to rise, intersecting with a rapidly changing technological landscape and the 2024 U.S. presidential election. The report is intended to advise the next White House administration on what steps it needs to take to counter China’s advances in emerging technology areas, particularly artificial intelligence and biotechnology.

The first step: the establishment of a U.S. Council on Science and Technology Competitiveness in the executive branch.

“The United States will do best if we build on our own strengths as the world’s leading innovation ecosystem,” the report said. “As many have noted, the solution is not to copy what the (Chinese Communist Party) is doing. To increase our competitiveness, MITRE recommends that the next administration issue an executive order establishing a public-private US S&T Competitiveness Council in the White House focused on science, technology, innovation and competitiveness.”

As the linchpin of the approach proposed by MITRE, the Council would be tasked with working with the existing Office for Science and Technology Policy, the National

Security Council, National Economic Council, and Office of Management and Budget. It would include bipartisan participation from congressional committees and have a designated parliamentary liaison on the ground.

The idea for a new executive unit was originally developed and presented by MITRE three years ago.

“What is missing is a trusted entity that can bring together all the different units and activities to enable more effective strategic collaboration,” said Duane Blackburn, senior principal and S&T policy analyst at MITRE. Nextgov/FCW. “Even the National Science and Technology Council, which is incredibly influential and useful, is still primarily focused on maximizing federal government activity in these technologies. To be successful, we need to get the entire S&T community working more collaboratively, and we believe an S&T Competitiveness Council is one way to support that in a way that everyone would welcome.”

Promoting partnerships with private agencies is also a high priority under MITRE. The proposed S&T Competitiveness Council would coordinate these partnerships, particularly with regard to their communications, marketing and financial planning elements.

The report also addressed the need for the United States to take a leadership role in developing global technology standards, a focus area that federal officials had previously discussed.

MITRE pointed to the increasing proliferation and development of AI and the risks associated with it, and stated that the United States’ role as a global technology leader is also to mitigate the various risks of this technology.

“Given the competing agendas on AI and its impact on the nation and

Globally, MITRE also recommends that the United States take the lead in AI insurance to mitigate risks and assess the safety and effectiveness of AI systems,” the report said.

Partnering with international allies is also intended to help solidify consensus on risk reduction and standards. As technological innovation advances internationally, MITRE said strategic partnerships with likeminded nations are also critical to ensuring continued U.S. leadership in technological research and development.

“At the same time as containing the risks of China’s rise, there are numerous opportunities to promote positive international cooperation,” the report says. In addition, ongoing multilateral partnerships with countries such as Australia, the UK and Switzerland are cited as positive examples that should continue to be emulated.

Blackburn added that while MITRE continues to advise the White House on policy direction for individual technologies, this document focuses on fundamental improvements that an administration can make.

“By improving this foundation in a collaborative and strategically coordinated manner, addressing the needs of each technology, we can significantly improve our ability to advance these technologies compared to the status quo,” he said.