Connecting early career researchers and policymakers: Insights from Young Academy Ireland’s Evidence for Policy Summit 2025
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Date
2026-06-01
Authors
Walsh, Kieran A.
Bamford, Connor G.G.
Doorley, Karina
Dowdall, Niamh
Farrell, Emma
Farrell, Niall
Kelly, Dervla M.
McMahon, Jennifer
Western, Agata
Wycherley, Niamh
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Paradigm Publishing Services
Published Version
Abstract
Evidence-based policy-making refers to the practice of developing policies that are grounded in objective and rigorous evidence rather than ideology or anecdotal information. This approach prioritises the use of data, research findings and evaluations to inform decision making processes in public policy (Baron, 2018). Policy-making is complex. Researchers can make valuable contributions to the policy making process, for example by helping with policy design, by measuring the effectiveness of policy interventions and by disseminating findings to a wider audience (Ruane, 2025). Often policymakers are not specialists in particular sub-disciplines and can therefore benefit from linking in with researchers with relevant expertise. Internationally, there is increasing recognition of the importance of using the best available evidence to address societal challenges, particularly since the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic where the situation changed quickly, evidence was emerging rapidly and there was a need to make informed decisions in real time, and to combat mis- and dis-information (Global Commission on Evidence to Address Societal Changes, 2022). In Ireland, the role of the National Public Health Emergency Team during the COVID-19 pandemic is an example of where a national, centralised structure was rapidly set up to provide recommendations to government based on available knowledge and expertise, with researchers from different disciplines playing a key role (Doyle, 2021). For Northern Ireland, as part of the approach across the United Kingdom (UK), the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies provided centralised scientific and technical advice to support government decision-making throughout the pandemic.
Description
Keywords
Evidence-based policy-makin , Pandemic , [CUBS]
Citation
Walsh, K A, Bamford, C G G, Doorley, K, Dowdall, N, Farrell, E, Farrell, N, Kelly, D M, McMahon, J, Western, A & Wycherley, N 2026, 'Connecting early career researchers and policymakers : Insights from Young Academy Ireland’s Evidence for Policy Summit 2025', Administration, vol. 74, no. 2, pp. 137-147. https://doi.org/10.2478/admin-2026-0017