Evidence for Policymakers

The Hague, The Netherlands

Please find the final report with the summary and conclusions here.

Background

In times of crisis, the relationship between evidence and policymaking may change dramatically. The current Covid-19 Crisis generated manifestations of “evidence based policymaking” in an unprecedented way, both nationally and locally. It also showed that the need to use internationally organized reliable data for effective policy interventions has never been more urgent in times of peace. This information needs to be both profound and directly available.
This conference treats the outcomes of the current crisis as input for the process for professionalizing the structured interaction between evidence and policymaking. The current learning processes and challenges will be analyzed in the context of the existing knowledge infrastructure for policymakers. Instruments for creating evidence for policymakers have tremendously grown with the introduction of Big Data and the development of algorithms for generating new insights. Another widespread development is the use of Randomised Controlled Trials (RCT’s) in order to enhance the effectiveness of policy instruments and the growth of new standards for experimental policies
Evidence for the effectiveness of new policy interventions is often related to the evaluation of policymaking. National Statistical Offices and many other governmental agencies play a role here. Evidence may also - especially in crisis situations - be used for the prediction of the effectiveness of new policies. In the Netherlands, the Policy Analysis Agencies (Plan Bureaus) have gained a special reputation to generate broadly accepted calculations which predict the effectiveness of political programs. Behavior Insight Teams in different parts of the world also have gained a reputation in creating well substantiated instruments to predict and enhance the effectiveness of policy interventions.
In all of these processes of shaping evidence informed policymaking, scientists from all kind of disciplines, whether it is data science, statistics, policy research, behavioral sciences or a structured way of fact checking, play a crucial role to substantiate the development of policies. These processes for a sound substantiation for policymaking are a main contribution to more effective and predictable policies, if well organized (a recent article by Times Higher Education discusses the groundbreaking pilot developed by Dutch experts to shape better policies through effective scientific support).

Organizing evidence for policy
The way that evidence for policy is organized, differs strongly per country or region in the world. In the Anglo-Saxon culture we see Chief Government scientists, organizing the impact of science form inside the Ministries. In 2010, the UK Prime Minister has successfully launched its What Works Networks with their related Behavior Insight Teams. In the US, we have seen What Works Cities and the “data for evidence” initiatives, started at the White House. Moreover, in January 2019, the US federal government has signed into law the “Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act”. In the European Union in 2016, the Science Advice mechanism has evolved and Joint Research Centres play a role. The Netherlands has its Central Policy Analysis Agencies. In Singapore we see a National Research Council, housed at the Prime Minister’s Office.
Evidence for effective policies needs to be robust and preferably universal. Bringing together the managers of these processes will create new insights and mutual benefits. This conference has the aim to bring together these experts worldwide to learn which methods and instruments can be applied for which situations and how they may improve the quality of evidence provided.

Topics
The conference will treat a range of issues that influence our capacity to enhance the development and practical use of evidence for policymakers. A short list of issues includes:
- Definitions of “evidence” and “evidence informed policymaking”
- The correlation between evidence and more effective policymaking
- How to convince policymakers to use evidence
- Internal and external organization of evidence for government
- Utilizing evidence for politicians and parliaments
- Enhancing the usability of research from universities and other knowledge institutes
- Ex post evidence and ex ante evidence
- Structured data for policymakers and researchers
- Effective use of algorithms for policymakers
- RCT’s to develop methods for proven effective interventions
- Applying research evidence to societal challenges