Science Europe, the association representing major public organisations that fund or perform research in Europe, has published a report to identify activities for science-informed policy making, map those funded and performed by research organisations, and suggests some recommendations.
Based on the analysis, three recommendations are suggested for research organisations:
- Recognise, assess, and support Science–policy interfaces (SPI) activities. Although the situation is strongly heterogeneous across Europe, research organisations should be compelled to promote, recognise, and, when relevant, reward those engaging in SPI activities. This support requires proper evaluation to assess the effectiveness of SPI activities.
- Develop strategies for SPI activities. These strategies require a long-term vision, resources to develop expertise, gathering data and methods for evidence reviews, and networking with similar organisations. SPI activities should be distinct from academic dissemination (ie. from scholars to scholars) and scientific dissemination (from scholars to the general public), as they focus on bridging the gaps between research activities and policy making.
- SPI activities are relevant in all policy fields. However, they are crucial in complex/multifaceted and knowledge demanding societal challenges such as biodiversity changes, climate change, global health issues, digitalisation, and artificial intelligence. These societal challenges require policy makers and the engagement of all societal stakeholders. Trust and mutual respect between researchers and policy makers are crucial, shaping fruitful science–policy interactions.
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