Presentation by Dr Christopher House (University of Wales: Trinity Saint David, Swansea) at the Research-Teaching Practice in Wales Conference, 9th September 2013, at the University of Wales, Gregynog Hall. Slidecast edited by Professor Simon Haslett.

1. Status quo vadis?
An assessment of the relationship
between science, education and policy
implementation
Christopher House, Gavin Bunting
and Stephen Hole
.

2. Introduction
• Status quo ante
– 1597 Bacon had written scientia potentia est.
(knowledge is power)
– Science should serve the state
• Trust me I’m a scientist
– The relationship between science, education and
policy has often been one of ‘unhappy
bedfellows’
– The role of sound science and considered
educational practice needs clarification
• Our background to this topic
– Research-teaching nexus meetings/conferences
– Marine Policy 2012

3. Complexity of the issue
• Knowledge and application gaps
– Gribbin (2007) this generation has sorted out the knowledge
the challenge for the next generation is the manipulation of
that knowledge
– E.g. The science of climate change is intricate and complex
but is easy compared to the socio economic and political
challenges it faces. (Rees, 2009)
• The authority and public perception of scientists is changing
(Shapin, 2004)
• Incapacity in Governance
• Discredited policy decisions
• Legitimacy, credibility and authority (Jasanoff, (2004); Denis et
al. (2009); Fritz, (2010)

4. Literature
• Key management decisions have often been made in the absence
of data or science (Parsons, 2001)
• The differences in behaviour and attitudes between scientists and
government can contribute towards the difficulties with the
transmitting and translating of scientific information into policy and
decision making (Bradshaw & Borchers, 2000)
• Scientists have an obligation to engage with policy makers (Rees,
2009)
• Negotiated knowledge transfer and dialogue (Ringberg et al, 2008)
• Scientists need to communicate information as well as convey
uncertainties, limits and knowledge (Wibeck, 2009)

5. Methodology
• 112 semi-structured and informal interviews (stratified
matrix sampling)
• 73 administrations / institutions
• Supplemented with
– Informal participant observations
– Review of proceedings from international Conferences
• Mixed methodology to clarify subject complexity

6. Some of the preliminary results
Issue
Science (%)
Education (%)
Legislation
Legally supported
research.
83.8 Education driven by
legislation and
professional norms.
28.8
Policy
formulators
Help set research
questions but not
methodology.
75.4 Define dissemination
procedures.
22.2
Human
resources
Research equipment and
personnel. Respond to
needs of managers and
public.
71.0 Commitment to education
and resources. Respond
to needs of managers and
public.
63.3
Lack of
coordination
between results
and policy
development
Committee
structure and
membership
Scientific non-symbolic
engagement in policy
process
72.8 Educational non-symbolic
engagement in policy
process
50.4
Research bureaucracy
needs streamlining.
Capacity building.
67.9 Education bureaucracy
needs streamlining.
Capacity building.
72.3

7. Scientific
disengagement
Internalise science into
policy
55.9 Internalise science into
education
61.9
Visibility,
awareness and
transparency
Innovative and accessible
dissemination of research
findings.
54.9 Innovative and accessible
forums of knowledge
transfer. Improved
traditional dissemination.
44.1
Limited number
of ‘personalities’
great influence
Clearly communicated
roles.
56.7 Selection and regional
champions/educators.
54.9
Public
participation
Identifying research
agendas.
40.8 Composing education
programmes.
8.7
Awareness
Need for horizontal and
vertical coordination of
research.
32.0 Need for horizontal and
vertical coordination of
education.
20.4
Time frames
Realistic
19.3 Short and long term
embedded education.
23.9
Interim reporting
Include science.
13.9 Dissemination
65.7

8. Principal findings
• Policy makers should engage more coherently with
existing research
• There is a need to facilitate research agenda
identification, without dictating their form
• Extensive research findings are already available, but
there is a need for further translation, coordination,
communication and adaptation of the work

9. Principal findings cont’d
• Science needs to be increasingly
internalised into policy formulation,
implementation and monitoring
• Knowledge and understanding requires
considered dissemination
• Facilitate shared awareness, both
vertically and horizontally

10. Output
Outcome
Implementation
Policy
Socio-econ. political
DISENGAGEMENT
Science & Education Nexus
Active agents (e.g. Ecological landscape)
Phenonema (e.g. Physical Landscape)
Disengagement of science/education nexus from the policy process

11. Some possible solutions
The need for a research repository
• Research often reaches a
group/individual and then stops
– Therefore needs to be researched again
– Need a research repository
– But the research needs ‘value’ and ‘use’
(Watson & Hewett, 2006)

12. Research Repository
• Built on the needs of stakeholders developing
• Simple and efficient tools
• Bridging science and decision making in a coworking process
• End users can identify common threats and
solutions
• Builds on existing capacities to develop common
novel approaches to support integrated policies
and practices

13. Made simple but not simpler
(Einstein)
• Policy results should be visible and need to use
innovative forums of awareness raising and be
culturally sensitive
• The role of science and education needs to be legally
binding
• Administrative inertia from which professional norms
can evolve need to be facilitated
• Technology Enhanced Dissemination

14. Knowledge Transfer (TED)
Nexus
Science
Education
Framework for
Technology
Enhanced
Dissemination
(TED)
National
Local
Output & outcome
Measurement (Quantitative & semiqualitative)
Informal and formal feedback
Supranational

15. Conclusion
• Implications of findings are central to
the efficient and effective application of
science
• President Obama (2008) said
– Decisions need to be based on best
scientific advice and this should be heeded
. . . Even when it is inconvenient – indeed
especially when it is inconvenient
• Thanks. Any questions