Export Controls: Agencies Should Assess Vulnerabilities and Improve Guidance for Protecting Export-Controlled Information at Universities
Abstract
Foreign students and scholars have made substantial contributions to U.S. research efforts and technology development. However, according to a federal government intelligence assessment, foreign access to sensitive U.S. technology has imposed a significant but unquantifiable cost to the United States. Given this risk, GAO was asked to do the following: (1) describe the nature of the research at universities and identify steps they take to comply with export controls, and (2) assess efforts by the Departments of Commerce and State -- the key export control agencies -- to determine the risk of export violations in university research. GAO reviewed Commerce and State export control programs and met with officials from 13 universities, selected based on their foreign student populations, applications for export licenses, and federal grants and contracts. GAO recommends that Commerce and State use available information to assess potential vulnerabilities and based on this assessment improve outreach, guidance, and interagency coordination. The agencies generally concurred, but State disagreed with GAO's recommendation on assessing vulnerabilities. Broader assessments would increase State's knowledge of risks and help improve its guidance to universities.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 2006
- Accession Number
- ADA466913
Entities
People
- Angela Thomas
- Arturo Holguin
- Gregory Harmon
- John Neumann
- John P. Hutton
- Karen Sloan
- Marie Ahearn
- Sandra Moore
- Sharron Candon
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office