© DAM/Helmholtz SynCom
Training for scientists and knowledge exchange officers
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Roles of scientists in policy engagement
Knowledge provider, critical friend or honest broker?
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Understanding policy-making
What scientific knowledge do policy-makers need?
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Overview on policy engagement formats
Written and interactive formats like policy briefs or face-to-face meetings
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Learning from cases of policy engagement
How do scientists and policy-makers reflect upon their experience regarding policy engagement?
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Careers in public policy
How can a scientific degree qualify for careers in public policy?
About me
I work at Goethe-University Frankfurt, where I have been coordinating the policy dialogue projects of the Rhine-Main Universities Frankfurt, Darmstadt and Mainz. I plan and organise meetings and policy events for mid-level and senior policy-making professionals from regional and national ministries in Germany, the European Commission, and international organisations in the Frankfurt/Rhine-Main area, Berlin, and Brussels.
I also worked in policy engagement roles at the universities of Duisburg-Essen and Friedrichshafen, as well as in think tanks. What have I learned working at the science-policy interface over the past 25 years?
- We tend to speak of scientists and policy-makers. However, both are very diverse groups; both sides must understand the logic of reasoning of their counterparts. Both sides should communicate their expectations and provide honest feedback.
- As someone who has been working for universities for the past 17 years, I understand that scientists do not have much time. The same applies to policy-makers. Informing about a wide range of policy engagement formats while considering the time constraints of both scientists and policy-makers is a key feature of my workshops.
- Learning by doing! The perfect policy engagement format does not exist. Workshops, handbooks, and toolkits are important, but they cannot substitute for practical experience. I therefore encourage the participants of my workshops to take the first step earlier rather than later.
Additional Information
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LinkedIn
My detailed CV is available on LinkedIn. I regularly share information regarding events, publications, calls for application, and other useful resources on LinkedIn. If you understand German, please join the “Wissenschaftliche Politikberatung/Policy Engagement in Deutschland”!
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Policy Engagement Toolkit
I am currently working on virtual policy engagement toolkit in cooperation with partners from various EU countries, which will provide many how-to guides and examples of policy engagement across Europe. The toolkit is part of the project Enhancing Institutional Capacities and Researchers’ Competencies for Policy Engagement for Green and Digital Transitions (ENGAGEgreen). The toolkit will be go online in a couple of weeks. Stay tuned!