Policy and decision-makers and operational authorities

Politicians and other decision-makers need research-based evidence for decision-making. It is important to recognize the relevant entities or organizations that can benefit from your research.

Overview

As the Covid-19 crisis in 2020 clearly demonstrated, politicians and other decision-makers need research-based evidence for decision-making. It is important to recognize the relevant entities or organizations that can benefit from your results, or the other way around; who you need in order to fulfil your research agenda.

Policy and decision-makers and operational authorities include institutions such as legislators (members of the parliament) and ministry officials who carry out the preparation work; municipalities and cities who have their own priorities and strategies; operational level such as the police force or social services sector, hospital districts; and special interest groups such as different kind of lobbyists for industry sectors or patient groups.

Regulation and standardizations bodies are important especially in the field of technology amd medicine, and keeping them in the loop is important for the future impact of your research. They can also provide valuable access to infrastructure, databases etc.

Policy and decision-makers may be more inclined to use scientific knowledge when they are a part of your research early on. Think about their role and how to engage them already in the project planning phase.

Turning research into policies, and maybe even actions in the end, requires that policy makers

  • Know about your research
  • Understand the problem
  • Are given concrete solutions or alternatives to address the problem at hand and finally that they
  • Have the will and power to act

They can either help you to reach real impact by using your research results in the actual decision making process, but they can also decide where research funding is allocated.

Read more about how to engage various actors in the maximising impact section.

Next page

Industry collaboration

Create your impact plan!

You can now create your own impact plan. Our template provides you with guiding questions to help map out your impact and helps you link your research with sustainable development goals. Just click here!