Information control I: Technology transfer at issue: The academic viewpoint: Educators believe efforts to limit transfer of knowledge at the university level are likely to weaken the U.S. lead in innovation

Confronted by increasing commercial competition from Western Europe and Japan in high-technology markets, as well as by heightened tensions in relations with the Soviet Union, the United States has taken a new and vigorous interest in controlling the flow of technology outside its borders. There is growing concern in the Federal government that the ¿leaking¿ of technical material and ideas to other nations impairs national security both by diminishing the ability of the U.S. to compete commercially and by reducing the country´s edge in armaments. Yet specific efforts that have been initiated to control technology transfer in the university setting are themselves likely to weaken the U.S. position and thus do not serve national interest.