Making the Policy-Research Connection for Development: Using Research-Based Evidence to Improve Policy, Programs and Practice

A Workshop for Canadian International Development Agency Policy Analysts, June 5 and 6, 2006. IDRC, Ottawa, Canada

There is an increasing emphasis on evidence-based policy making and implementation in developed and developing countries around the world. This workshop on the policy-research nexus for Canadian International Development Agency policy analysts will provide some underpinning theory and practical guidance on how to use research more effectively for policy and practice specifically:

• The latest research on the research-policy interface:
  
• Some analytical tools
  
• An overview, and some specific examples of evidence-based policymaking in the UK
  
• An example of evidence-based policy processes in Canada from the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation
  
• Practical exercises exploring research priorities for current policy issues within CIDA
  
• Some practical tools

Background
Evidence-based policy is a key principle of the New Labour Government in the UK, which has established systems to improve the use of research-based and other forms of evidence at all levels of government, including within the Department for International Development (see Evidence-based Policymaking project for more information). ODI's Research and Policy in Development Programme (RAPID) has been working on the research-policy nexus in development policy processes in the UK and developing countries for a number of years, has developed a conceptual framework and practical tools and has run a number of training courses for researchers and policy makers in developing countries and the UK (see the events section for details of workshops, seminars and training courses). Within the UK, ODI is working with The Research Unit for Research Utilisation at St Andrews University and the Centre for Economic Policy Research on a series of workshops on these issues bringing together UK and International experience (see Impact and Insight workshop series). ODI has also been following closely the development of The Department for the Environment and Rural Affairs in the UK's Evidence & Innovation Strategy, a pioneering initiative to develop practical tools for improving evidence-based policy (see http://www.defra.gov.uk/science/how/evidence.htm for more information and the consultation document).

Workshop Facilitators

• John Young: Director of the Partnerships and Communications Department in ODI. He also leads the RAPID Programme and manages the Civil Society Partnership Programme. He has over 20 years experience in Africa, Asia and the UK, working on livestock services, government service reform, sustainable livelihoods, community development, participatory approaches, communications and information, research-policy links, institutional development and capacity-building.
  
• Louise Shaxson: An independent consultant specialising in science policy and strategy, and evidence-based policy making. Louise has 15 years experience in Latin America, Africa and the UK, initially as an economist on pest management programmes, but subsequently focusing on managing interdisciplinary research for DFID. For the past three years she has led Defra's project on evidence-based policy making, and regularly lectures on the subject to senior policy makers and analysts.

• Powerpoint presentation (1.6mb) or slide overview in pdf format ( 522kb)
• Programme ( 208kb)
• Selected readings:
  • Bridging Research and Policy in International Development. An Analytical and Practical Framework RAPID Briefing Paper, ODI, October 2004
    
  • How to use the RAPID Context, Evidence and Links Framework. Extract from Tools for Policy Influence: A Handbook for Researchers, ODI, October 2004
    
  • An Introduction to A Toolkit for Progressive Policymakers in Developing Countries Sophie Sutcliffe and Julius Court ODI, January 2006
    
  • Evidence-based policy at the Cabinet Office, Phil Davies, Deputy Director, Government and Social Research Unit, UK Cabinet Office. A transcript of a talk at ODI, Impact and Insight meeting, 17th October 2005
    
  • Conceptualizing and Combining Evidence for Health System Guidance, Jonathan Lomas, Tony Culyer, Chris McCutcheon, Laura McAuley, and Susan Law, The Canadian Health Services Research Foundation May 2005 (Key Points and Executive Summary)
    
  • Improving the Evidence for Policy Making - A draft internal guidance document produced by the Science Strategy Team of the Department for the Environment and Rural Affairs, Government of the UK (Hard copy available to workshop participants)
    
  • Ensuring evidence is robust: questions for policy-makers and practitioners, Louise Shaxson (2006). This paper examines the reasons we need evidence for policy, discusses where evidence is needed in the policy making process, and the nature of the evidence base for strategy and policy.
    
  • Part 1 of the UK Department for Environment and Rural Affairs Consultation for its Evidence and Innovation Strategy 2005-08
    
  • An extract from Part 2 of the DEFRA Consultation: Strategic Outcome 5: Reduction in UK's greenhouse gas emissions. Reduction in the UK's contribution to global climate change by cutting our greenhouse gas emissions.
    
  • Understanding Risk in Everyday Policy-Making, Dr Kevin Edson Jones, DEFRA September 2005