Just Released: STM: The National Science Foundation Strategic Framework for Investments in Graduate Education FY 2016-FY 2020

From the Executive Summary of the The National Science Foundation Strategic Framework for Investments in Graduate Education, FY 2016-FY 2020

Graduate education plays a central role in advancing the Nation’s science and engineering research enterprise. It is also increasingly the means by which the Nation develops a diverse and highly technical STEM professional workforce. The view that graduate education in STEM disciplines is an essential asset for achieving national priorities is one of the foundational principles for the Federal STEM Education 5-Year Strategic Plan…
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The first section of this framework describes the rationale for its creation and outlines the coordination strategy for its development and implementation. The next section discusses the importance of graduate STEM education to the Nation’s scientific discovery and innovation. It presents the need to better prepare students for today’s jobs and those of the future, and summarizes the primary challenges facing graduate education.
The framework then presents three goals that serve as the foundation of the NSF investments in graduate education, along with a set of strategic objectives for these investments.
The goals of NSF investments in graduate education:
Advance Science and Engineering (S&E) Research: Support graduate students and graduate education to enable long-term contributions of new knowledge at the frontiers of science and engineering.
Broaden Participation to Promote Excellence in Research and Build the Next Generation STEM Workforce: Recruit graduate students from a variety of geographic, demographic, social, and educational backgrounds to promote the advancement of science and a highly qualified professional workforce.
Build Effective Models of Graduate Education and Workforce Development: Support the development and use of innovative models and evidence based approaches in graduate education, including education and research about promising practices and program effectiveness.
The five strategic objectives demonstrate how the Foundation will advance these goals over the next five years.
Advance Science and Engineering (S&E) Research

• Objective 1: Prepare the Discoverers of Tomorrow

Broaden Participation to Promote Excellence in Research and Build the Next Generation STEM Workforce

• Objective 1: Invest in Broad Research and Education Experiences

• Objective 2: Support Research on Cultivating Diverse and Effective Science
  Teams

Build Effective Models of Graduate Education and Workforce Development

• Objective 1: Convene a National Dialogue on S&E Graduate Education

• Objective 2: Enhance What NSF Knows About Investments in S&E Graduate
  Education

Direct to Full Text Document & Embedded Below (20 pages; PDF)

The National Science Foundation Strategic Framework for Investments in Graduate Education FY 2016-FY 2020… by LJ's infoDOCKET

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