Abstract
“More research is needed” is an iconic catchphrase used by scientists worldwide. Yet policy and management decisions are continually being made with variable levels of reliance on scientific knowledge. Funding agencies have provided incentives for knowledge exchange at the interfaces between science and policy or practice, yet it remains the exception rather than the rule within academic institutions. An important step forward would be the establishment and professionalization of knowledge brokering (i.e., as a complement to existing technology transfer and communications departments). This would require an explicit commitment of resources by both funding agencies and institutions. Many academic scientists are genuinely interested in the applications of their research. This interest could be stimulated by providing support for the process of knowledge brokering and by integrating the natural, social, and engineering sciences to address broad policy- and practice-relevant questions.
Highlights
Continuing concern is expressed in government administrations and funding agencies that policy-making and management do not benefit sufficiently from the knowledge generated by publically funded science (Chapman et al 2010b; EC 2013; Holmes and Scott 2010; McNie 2007; Pahl-Wostl et al 2011; Van Enst et al 2014). This is important in the environmental field, in which most policies and management relate to public goods
Since externalities and market failures are commonplace in cases of public goods, key roles for government and regulation are recognized
Recognizing the need to improve the uptake of research into regulation, the water directors of the EU and associated States funded an ad hoc science-policy interface (SPI) activity with the goals of identifying relevant available research as well as research gaps and improving the transfer and usability of research (EC 2013)
Summary
Do we need ‘‘more research’’ or better implementation through knowledge brokering?. Received: 27 April 2015 / Accepted: 24 May 2015 / Published online: 10 June 2015 Ó The Author(s) 2015. Funding agencies have provided incentives for knowledge exchange at the interfaces between science and policy or practice, yet it remains the exception rather than the rule within academic institutions. An important step forward would be the establishment and professionalization of knowledge brokering (i.e., as a complement to existing technology transfer and communications departments). This would require an explicit commitment of resources by both funding agencies and institutions. Many academic scientists are genuinely interested in the applications of their research This interest could be stimulated by providing support for the process of knowledge brokering and by integrating the natural, social, and engineering sciences to address broad policy- and practice-relevant questions. Handled by Zafar Adeel, UNU-International Network on Water, Environment and Health (INWEH), Canada
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