UNESCO provides:

• technical advice and guidance on formulating, implementing, monitoring and reviewing national policies and plans for STI;
  
  
• comparative analysis of the social and cultural conditions which determined the success or failure of STI policies;
  
  
• policy advice to developing countries and countries in transition for innovation and the preservation and effective use of their S&T potential;
  
  
• comparative studies on policies, programmes and institutions for the financing of S&T activities in government, academic and non-governmental sectors. Examples include the use of governments' purchasing power as a stimulus for innovation, and the foreign financing of domestic S&T activities (see Publications).