We are excited to share the outcomes from our recent half-day co-creation workshop held on the 20th of March in Brussels. Building on the positive energy of the final conference of the ‘Building Capacity for Evidence-Informed Policymaking in Governance and Public Administration in a Post-Pandemic Europe’ project the previous day, this workshop brought together a diverse group of knowledge brokers and evidence-informed policymaking (EIPM) practitioners from 15 European countries. Our collective goal? To explore the potential of establishing a European Community of Practice focused on EIPM.

What is a Community of Practice? 

A Community of Practice is more than just a network; it is a group of people who share a common passion, concern, or set of problems, and who deepen their knowledge and expertise in this area by interacting on an ongoing basis. Such a community can play a pivotal role in advancing EIPM across Europe.

Workshop Highlights

The workshop was a lively exchange of ideas, with participants generating a wealth of suggestions for community activities. Some of the key ideas that emerged include:

• Creating a convincing narrative for EIPM: It seems obvious that policy decisions should be grounded in the best available evidence. In practice, however, other factors such as short-term political pressures can overrule concerns for EIPM. A supportive EIPM culture, therefore, needs an convincing narrative that clearly illustrates the cost of not following an EIPM approach.
• Practical webinars: Organizing webinars on concrete, focused, and practical topics, led by practitioners from different Member States, can facilitate sharing knowledge and experiences.
• Sharing knowledge for policy syntheses: There are many topics that affect more than one member state, such as how to prepare cities for heat waves or how to manage the green transition of industry. The evidence synthesis needed by one community member might already be produced by another one facing the same challenge.
• Community work program: Developing a clear work program will help us stay focused and track our progress over the coming year.
• Following up on TSI Roadmaps: Building on the roadmaps developed during the project ensures that we build on existing foundations and continue to make progress.
• A repository of good practices: Establishing a repository of what works and what doesn’t in building successful EIPM ecosystems can provide valuable lessons and guidance for others.

Next Steps

Inspired by this productive workshop, we are now in the process of digesting and sorting through all the ideas. Our immediate focus is on maintaining momentum and ensuring that we build a cohesive and productive community. While we start small, we do plan to open up the community to others once its scope, activities and governance are more mature.

Your Input Matters

As we continue to refine our plans, we invite you to share your thoughts and ideas. Keep an eye on this space for updates on our sensemaking process and upcoming opportunities for feedback. Let us know what you think this community should focus on and why!