In an attempt to focus the presidential candidates on science policy issues, the Association of American Universities has offered an innovation agenda for the future president.

The proposed agenda, which the association released late last week, calls for more spending on basic research and increased support for undergraduate and graduate science education.

It also asks the next president to elevate the role of science in decision-making by raising the status of the president’s science advisor and making greater use of federal scientific advisory committees. Many scientists have complained that the Bush administration has made decisions based on questionable science and disregarded the recommendations of scientific advisory boards.

The report also calls for the creation of a new advisory board to “continually assess the health of the university-government partnership.”

The Association, which represents 62 research universities, is asking the candidates to adopt portions of the agenda in their campaigns and says it will work with the winner to implement the agenda after the election.