The International Science and Technology Center (ISTC) was established in Moscow by international agreement in November 1992 as a nonproliferation program. ISTC coordinates the efforts of numerous governments, international organizations, and private sector industries, providing former weapons scientists (FWS) from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and Georgia with new opportunities for sustainable, peaceful employment. The current Parties to ISTC are the United States, the European Union, Japan, Norway and South Korea (funding Parties), as well as Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan. ISTC activities fall in two broad categories: research projects, which employ FWS in the development of new science and technology (S&T), and Supplemental Programs, which include workshops and other events to integrate FWS in the global S&T and industrial communities; training. In the 20 years ISTC has been active over 70,000 former weapons scientists in more than 760 research institutes spread across CIS and Georgia have been engaged in ISTC projects and activities.

The principal activity through which the ISTC meets its objectives is through the management of science R&D projects. Institutes throughout Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan coordinate project proposals with the ISTC Secretariat for review and funding. Project participants and institutes receive ISTC funding benefit from the Center’s supporting programs such as travel grants, workshops, seminars, international conferences, and commercialization support.

ISTC’s Vision Statement

• To advance global peace and prosperity through cooperative Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) risk mitigation by supporting civilian science and technology partnerships that address global security threats and advance non-proliferation to redirect expertise to peaceful R&D fields.

 ISTC’s Mission Statement

• To facilitate interactions and collaborations between CIS and Georgian scientists with their global scientific counterparts.
• To support and manage R&D projects that address global problems and transition such research to market-based economies for future sustainability.

 ISTC Mission:

• To address the global security threat of the proliferation of WMD-applicable chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) knowledge and materials;
• To support the integration of scientists with WMD applicable knowledge into global scientific and economic communities through national, regional, and international research collaboration;
• To develop and sustain a culture of nonproliferation and CBRN security awareness and responsibility through education, mentorship, and training;
• To promote international best practices and security culture to mitigate CBRN security threats.

 Objectives

• Contribute to solving national and global technological problems;
• Support basic and applied research;
• Support the transition to market-based economies;
• Encourage the integration of CIS and Georgian former weapons scientists into the international scientific community.

ISTC Website