The US National Science Board has just released Science and Engineering Indicators 2010, reporting broad trends in the global science and technology landscape to 2008 (pre Global Financial Crisis).

In general, the report shows a continuation of the pattern of the last two decades: an increase in the role of research in developed and developing economies, and the emergence of Asia (and particularly China) within this landscape.  See over the fold for a few selected graphs.

Graphs drawn from the Science and Engineering Indicators 2010 Overview

• Ongoing growth in R&D expenditure worldwide, particularly in Asian economies:

• Significant increases in first university degrees in natural sciences and engineering in China against the rest of the world:

• Increase in the extent of international collaboration, particularly in the EU:

• Ongoing growth in the value added by knowledge and technology intensive industries:

• Emergence of China as a dominant consumer of high technology imports: