On 23 October 2025, the Joint Research Centre (JRC) hosted the second in-person meeting of the Evidence-Informed Policymaking (EIPM) Community of Practice (CoP) in Brussels. Taking place the day after the kick-off event of the EIPM 2.0 project, the meeting brought together members from both the EIPM 1.0 and EIPM 2.0 projects, as well as EIPM practitioners and scholars from other European countries, to exchange insights, share experiences and strengthen collaboration. The event aimed to connect the two cohorts in discussing national reform efforts, explore common themes such as knowledge broker competences and provide space for members to present or initiate community-led projects.

The day began with a warm welcome from Jolita Butkevičienė, Director for Innovation in Science and Policymaking at the JRC, who highlighted the importance of maintaining engagement within the community. She noted that when people work together, they naturally seek examples and inspiration from one another, and that the value of this growing engaging platform should not be underestimated. Elias Kock (JRC) described how the community has evolved by connecting scientists, knowledge brokers and policymakers through projects and shared learning. He also encouraged participants to co-shape the future of the community by contributing ideas for new member-led initiatives.

From Knowledge to Action

After a lively introduction, participants, separated in 8 tables, engaged in a working session on knowledge broker competences, which served as a foundation for identifying the key skills, attitudes, and knowledge areas needed to bridge science and policy.

Discussions around 8 tables revolved around some core questions:

What does a knowledge broker need to know about and do with evidence?

How can they work effectively with policymakers?

Which specific brokerage competences are most relevant today?

Participants identified a wide range of essential capacities, beginning with a solid understanding of evidence and how scientific networks function. They noted that effective brokers need methodological literacy, awareness of policymaking processes and priorities, and the ability to navigate institutional structures. Openness, trust building, and the skill to translate between scientific and policy languages were seen as crucial. Participants also highlighted creativity, organizational ability, and digital fluency — including a good grasp of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence — as important qualities for modern knowledge brokers.

Member-Led Workshops: Building the Narrative and the Knowledge Base

Two parallel workshops followed, each designed and led by members of the community. The first workshop, Developing an Urgent Narrative for EIPM, invited participants to crowdsource practical and persuasive arguments that could help communicate the value of evidence-informed policymaking. The session aimed to identify ways to make EIPM more compelling to policymakers and the public. During the discussion, participants highlighted challenges such as conflicting data, and the difficulty of aligning scientific timelines with political ones. They agreed on the importance of transparent communication about uncertainty and the need to present both positive and negative examples of EIPM in practice. Building trust in science, demonstrating cost–benefit scenarios, and linking evidence use to the EU level were also seen as essential to making EIPM more credible and impactful.

The second workshop, Cultivating the Community’s Knowledge Base, focused on how to co-create and expand the CoP’s shared repository of practices and resources. Among others, participants proposed improving accessibility, and integrating digital or AI-based solutions to organize and connect content more effectively. The discussion underlined that the repository should not only store information but also reflect the diversity, creativity, and ongoing learning of the EIPM community.

Exchange of Ideas and Insights

In the afternoon, participants joined conversation tables in a “world café” format to discuss key challenges and opportunities for building a strong EIPM ecosystem. The sessions were coordinated by Lydia Baan Hofman from the Netherlands Scientific Climate Council, who led the discussion on normative steps in science advice; Christian Wimplinger from the Federal Chancellery of Austria, who focused on inconvenient evidence; Kristian Krieger from the European Research Executive Agency, who discussed the knowledge brokering role of research agencies; and Johan Christensen from Leiden University, who explored how to balance independence and relevance in national science advice structures. The diversity of discussions reflected the richness of the community itself, combining perspectives, disciplines, and national experiences united by a shared commitment to strengthen evidence-informed policymaking across Europe.

At the same time, members of the EIPM 1.0 project met for a dedicated session to reflect on national reforms. They observed that progress in building EIPM institutions can be gradual and requires both patience and persistence. Participants emphasized that meaningful reform depends not only on political leadership but also on resilient networks of committed individuals.

Continuing the active engagement of CoP

Francesco Moratelli (JRC) then outlined the next steps, including upcoming webinars and “clinics” inspired by participants’ ideas, the creation of a more digitalized platform and plans for another in-person meeting in the coming months. Moreover, throughout the day, visual harvesters captured key messages from each session, creating a collective illustration of the community’s energy and creativity.

In the final plenary, participants gathered in four corners of the room, each representing what they liked, learned, lacked, or longed for, and shared reflections that highlighted both their personal takeaways and the strength of this growing European network. As the Community of Practice continues to evolve, its mission remains clear: to connect people, foster trust between science and policy, and co-create solutions that make policymaking across Europe more open, evidence-based, and collaborative.