Here's an update concerning our workshop series and other actions that may be of your interest.

 If you want to stay up to date and be part of our science for policy ecosystem community, please fill up this registration form.

1. Open pre-registration for participatory online workshop “Share your views – How to support and connect policymaking in the EU and Member States with scientific research” – 9th March 2022 14:30-17:30 (CET)

This workshop, jointly organised by the JRC and DG RTD, aims to bring together experts, stakeholders, and staff of European institutions working on science for policy issues and/or at the science-policy interface in the Member States and for EU policymaking. We seek to gather views in response to three questions: (1) What is your vision for a vibrant EU science for policy ecosystem?; (2) What mechanisms [policies, organisational structures, investments, processes and practices] make a real difference [in your country, sector, profession] in terms of bringing scientific knowledge into policymaking?; and (3) What could the EU do to support these mechanisms within and between EU Member States?.

The views gathered will feed into the deliberations of the JRC and DG RTD in preparation of a Staff Working Document on ”Supporting and connecting policymaking in the EU and Member States with scientific research”, which is foreseen to be published in June 2022.

Further information can be found on the event page here.

If interested, please fill up the pre-registration form by 25th February 2022. Please, note there will be a limit number of participants, so confirmation of your attendance will only happen days before the event.

2. Call for applications: Training of Trainers – Evidence for policy course

We are launching the second edition of a training-of-trainers (ToT) programme for researchers and facilitators from EU countries following the success of our 2021 edition.

We will be training 16 pairs of “local trainers” to deliver the 2-day professional training course on Evidence for policy, to build up competences in scientists for better communicate with policymakers.

Click here for more information and applying online before the 20th February 2022

3. France will be the next e-workshop on national science-for-policy ecosystems

Coinciding with the French Presidency, the JRC and INRAE (l'Institut national de recherche pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement) are collaborating to prepare our next event in our workshop series of “Strengthening and connecting science for policy ecosystems across the EU”. As you know, these participative workshops aim to analyse current strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the French science-for-policy ecosystem, by bringing together national and international experts, policymakers and science-for-policy professionals and assessing the wide variety of actors in the national ecosystem.

Prior to the event, the JRC will publish an external expert report as a discussion paper that will trigger debate about the French system.

The event will likely take place in May 2022, and more information will be shared in due course.

4. Navigating the Multilevel Governance for Science Advice in the European Union, AAAS 2022, 19th February 2022

As part of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the European Commission organises a session to explore the importance of thriving and well-connected science for policy ecosystems. The session will offer a diversity of perspectives from the EU, national and subnational levels, bringing the following panelists:

• Nicole Grobert, Chair of the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors to the European Commission,
• Andrea Schneider, from the German Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, and
• Mikel Irujo, Regional Counsellor for Business Development, Gobierno de Navarra, Spain

Full information about the session can be found here.

5. The European Commission’s Scientific Advice Mechanism organises a conference on “Science advice under pressure” in Brussels and online, 27-28 April 2022

The European Commission’s Scientific Advice Mechanism warmly invites everyone working at the science-policy interface to explore the key challenges of delivering science advice under pressure through a series of panel debates, interactive sessions, and networking opportunities. We will reflect on the diverse experiences of many different actors in the field, debating the values that underpin science advice and sharing good practice.

This conference is co-organised by the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors to the European Commission, and by SAPEA. SAPEA is funded by the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. The content of the event reflects the opinions of the individuals and organisations involved, and does not necessarily reflect the views of the European Commission.

You may find more information on the conference website.

However, all in-person tickets are already booked and now, it is only possible to register for an online ticket, or join the waiting list for in-person places here.

6. Latest SAPEA Science for Policy Podcast on science, political accountability and blame

The Science for Policy podcast, produced by SAPEA, interviews politicians, policymakers, academics and science communicators who make science advice happen around the world.

The last podcast interviews Prof Matthew Flinders, Founding Director of the Sir Bernard Crick Centre, Professor of Politics at the University of Sheffield, and Chair of the Universities Policy Engagement Network (UPEN), and covers the tensions and blame games in science advice not only in COVID-19 times, but also in preparation for the post-COVID-19 age, what makes a good science for policy ecosystem, how science advisers can provide their advice building narratives and emotions around, how we can better train early career researchers for policy engagement, and much more.

Use your podcast app or visit www.sapea.info/podcast/ and write for feedback to podcast@sapea.info.

7. New Podcast: INGSA Horizons

The International Network for Government Science Advice (INGSA) has launched the new podcast INGSA Horizons to host great conversations at the intersection between science, policy and society – COVID pulled back the curtain on the importance of good science informing smart policy - join it as the series explore this critical, but often invisible, space between.

Series 1 includes a panel discussion with our JRC head of the unit Knowledge for Policy: Concept and Methods, David Mair, on the role that Values and Identities play in science advice!

Listen below or find it in your podcast app or visit www.ingsa.org/podcast for more information