Emily Wise, James Wilson, Sylvia Schwaag Serger
Journal for Research and Technology Policy Evaluation (58). pp. 176-209
Abstract
This paper explores how science-for-policy ecosystems can integrate advisory, reflexive and evaluative functions to support placebased, evidence-informed policymaking in the face of contested and transformative challenges. The roles of science, Technology and innovation (STI) policies in economic development processes are being reshaped in a new global context characterised by Grand environmental and social challenges alongside rising geopolitical tensions, fast-changing technologies and high uncertainty. Amidst these changes we see shifting demands from policymakers for the translation of theoretical and empirical knowledge in more agile cycles of real-time policy experimentation. Drawing on in-depth comparative analysis of cases characterised by two distinct institutional settings and levels of maturity, the paper identifies key structural, operational and practical characteristics that enable more dynamic, co-produced and politically aware knowledge use in STI policy. The findings suggest that strengthening science-for-policy ecosystems requires moving further beyond linear models of evidence use toward more dynamic, co-created approaches that embed evaluation and learning within policy processes. This involves fostering institutional capacities for experimentation, supporting intermediaries who can navigate between knowledge and action, and creating spaces for deliberation and reflexivity. Importantly, the study highlights the need to recognise and manage the political dimensions of knowledge use, particularly in areas where policy goals are contested or evolving.
- How to cite: Wise, E., Wilson, J.R. y Schwaag-Serger, S. (2026). Knowledge for place-based policymaking: Towards interactive science-for-policy ecosystems. fteval Journal for Research and Technology Policy Evaluation, 58, 176-209. https://doi.org/10.22163/fteval.2026.746
