04/06/2026
🧪➡️🏛️ How can scientists and policymakers better understand each other?
This was the challenge explored today by participants in the fifth COST Science for Policy Workshop, together with Judith Litjens, COST Policy Adviser.
COST was delighted to welcome back Science for Policy expert Lene Topp, who trained participants from our newly funded COST Actions on the JRC Competence Framework for Researchers: https://bit.ly/4fYqlfo. 🎓
In an interactive role-play exercise, participants took on the roles of scientists, policy advisers, ministers and citizens. As they worked through a fictional case study, they discovered that policymaking involves much more than just facts; it also involves values, emotions, priorities and competing interests.
A huge thank you to Lene Topp for delivering such an engaging and thought-provoking session! 👏
💡 Participants also heard about the first-hand experiences of COST Action members who have successfully turned their research into policy impact.
Thank you for sharing your insights, lessons learned, and practical advice: Joan Lalor, Katja Grünfeld, Eduard Doujak, Balás Gábor, and Laura Cowley.
Workshop sessions included:
🔹 Engaging policymakers and stakeholders effectively
🔹 Communicating complex research in clear and accessible ways
🔹 Understanding why timing matters for policy impact
🔹 Building successful stakeholder engagement strategies
🌍 By helping researchers engage with decision-makers, COST Actions strengthen the connection between science and policy, ensuring that research can contribute to informed decisions and positive societal change.
👏 And finally, a BIG thank you to the enthusiastic, curious and highly engaged group of COST Action participants who made today's workshop such a success!
