http://finance.boston.com/boston/news/read/20804892/u.s.

WASHINGTON, March 7, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — On February 29, 2012 the U.S.-Israel Science and Technology Foundation (USISTF) presented the U.S.-Israel Innovation Index (USI3) at the U.S. Department of State. The group included professionals representing the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of Commerce and National Academies of Sciences professionals working on issues of science and technology cooperation, intellectual property protection, innovation policy studies and export promotion. This important meeting brought together policy makers and senior thought leaders to discuss the ways that the USI3 can be used as a model to measure, track, evaluate and benchmark innovation relationships between other countries.

The USI3 is a unique publication which measures and tracks the U.S. innovation relationship with Israel, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, Chile, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore and South Korea. The USI3’s distinction from other indexes is that it tracks and benchmarks relationships rather than benchmarking and scoring countries against one another. The USI3 utilizes qualitative and quantitative indicators that explore the human capital, government, private sector and R&D relationships of the United States.

This group of policy makers emphasized the usefulness of the USI3 for helping them to understand the outcomes of not only U.S. scientific relationships with other countries, but also in terms of the outcomes of various U.S. IP, investment and free trade agreements.

Ann Liebschutz, USISTF Executive Director said, “when USISTF produced the USI3, our goal was not only to help industry and policy makers in the U.S. and Israel understand the strengths and opportunities in the U.S.-Israel innovation relationship, but also to create a model for evaluating global innovation relationships.” The USISTF looks forward to expanding the number of countries included in the 2012 publication.

The U.S.-Israel Science & Technology Foundation (USISTF) is a Washington, DC based 501c3 non-profit organization founded by a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Israel Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor with a mission of strengthening the scientific and R&D relationship of the U.S. and Israel to promote economic growth through innovation. USISTF convenes U.S.-Israel scientific and industry conferences, produces policy strategies, and facilitates R&D framework programs that enable joint research activities.

For more information, please contact Ann Liebschutz, Executive Director, U.S.-Israel Science and Technology Foundation.

CONTACT: Ann Liebschutz, +1-202-204-3102, ann@usistf.org