Science-for-policy ecosystems through the eyes of professionals : a multi country survey analysis

This Joint Research Centre science for policy (S4P) report explores the perceived challenges for establishing and maintaining a well-functioning science-policy interface in the EU. To gather this information, a survey was conducted with around 500 S4P professionals from 22 EU Member States. Respondents to the survey identified a fragmented S4P ecosystem and lack of meeting opportunities as the main challenges for effective collaboration between policymakers and scientists. There is a general readiness to provide and utilise scientific knowledge, but the lack of a systematic approach to bring both sides together seems to hinder this process. The results point to substantive agreement across professional groups (knowledge producers, users and brokers) on the need for improvements, in particular concerning better skills, knowledge translation capacities and institutional support, to enhance S4P ecosystems. The limited sample size of the survey and the non-probabilistic sampling strategy employed means that the data do not show a fully representative view of European S4P professionals' perspectives. Yet, they provide an entry point for exploring and guiding future perspectives of European S4P ecosystems. The report's findings provide valuable insights for national and EU policy discussions on enhancing the use of science in policymaking, which can concretely help guide efforts to support S4P ecosystem-building activities, enhancing the translation capacities of scientists and knowledge brokers, and increasing the skills and competences of policymakers. The report also contributes to the European Commission's recent initiatives to strengthen the connections between policymaking and scientific communities, as seen in the emerging research and public administration policies.