Strengthening Science - Policy Dialogue in Developing Countries: The Opportunities for Knowledge Intermediaries

This article describes a multi-layered analysis of the science-policy interface in developing countries - done by the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) Research and Policy in Development (RAPID) programme, International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP), and a number of partners - "combining theoretical and empirical strands, comparing Northern and Southern contexts and drawing out theoretical insights as well as providing practical recommendations for action." It focused on the following three questions: "What is the patterning of relationships between scientific researchers, policy decision-makers and intermediaries in developing country contexts? What are the challenges and opportunities for strengthening these linkages? What types of strategies exist or could potentially be adopted to improve evidence-informed policy processes?"

The analysis found that "[i]n terms of its uptake in policy processes, knowledge from the natural sciences faces a number of similar barriers to knowledge produced by other disciplines. However, there are certain features specific to the interface between science and policy, best presented as a number of key tensions present to varying degrees in both developed and developing country contexts." These include:

1. "the politicisation of science on the one hand and the scientisation of policy on the other
   
2. the tension between engaged or 'citizen' scientists and neutral scientists who choose to remain outside policy discussions
   
3. the demand for certainty from policy-makers versus the inherent uncertainty and risk-oriented nature of much scientific research
   
4. divergent professional motivations and timescales among scientist and policy-maker communities
   
5. the need to promote specialised expertise versus calls to democratise knowledge so as to encourage greater public participation in science-related debates
   
6. tension between Northern-driven scientific paradigms and indigenous knowledge"
   

A number of strategies are suggested, focusing on:

• "maintaining levels of credibility and salience in the science-policy interface through communication and translation;
  
• enhancing legitimacy through mediation activities and lines of accountability;
  
• promoting deliberative and participatory approaches; and
  
• supporting capacity."
  

These insights led to the following key themes:

1. Poorly institutionalised evidence-based policy-making needs to be recognised and addressed - Knowledge translators and knowledge brokers need to be mindful of the fact that policy priorities often drive the usage of research (not the opposite) when developing strategies to communicate scientific, technological, and innovation (ST&I) research findings to policy audiences.
   
2. An audience-appropriate information focus - ST&I information must be provided according to the needs of specific actors in the policy process and at the most useful stage in the policy process.
   
3. "Intermediary organisations are needed to act as knowledge brokers and capacity-builders for researcher and policymaking communities."
   
4. "Interaction and deliberation rather than uni-directional research dissemination is needed to bridge the ST&I researcher policy-maker gap."
   
5. "Policy-engaged scientists are critically important. - ...Policy-makers and development practitioners would be able to make greater use of scientific research findings if scientists would engage more openly with the resulting policy...."
   
6. "Improving public understanding of ST&I will facilitate better policy dialogues implications and present a range of possible policy options."