RRI Tools

European Commission

The publication Communicating Research for Evidence-Based Policymaking is a practical guide to supporting cooperation between researchers and policymakers, especially in the socioeconomic sciences and humanities fields. It would be of interest to anyone wanting to learn how to effectively communicate research evidence to influence the policymaking process. In addition to enhancing knowledge in the academic community, its objective is to make the best possible scientific evidence available to policymakers, generating useful knowledge and putting it into practice.

This guide is divided into four main blocks:

• the concept of communicating to policymakers
• the policy brief
• other forms of communication (websites, flyers, the media, panels, briefings, reports, etc.)
• ten steps towards an effective dissemination strategy.

Additionally, it provides examples, guidelines, further readings and a glossary.

Although the guide is meant for socioeconomics and humanities researchers, its content can be easily adapted to any research areas (keeping in mind that other fields, such as the natural sciences, may have different communication objectives). Budgets, equipment, and time horizons will depend on the recommendations put into practice and the research and political context in which they are applied.

Making socioeconomic research accessible to policymakers can be a responsible thing to do, particularly with taxpayer-funded research. Thus, when used within a strong RRI context, this guide could be an important part of a toolkit. However, because it focuses on communication with policymakers only, other tools may be needed to help improve communication with and between other stakeholders.