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Innovations and disruptions
27 Oct 2025

Event Highlights: FA1 Learning Series 7 & KIX EMAP Webinar 25: How Policymakers Think: Sharing Research for Policy Use

The FA1 Learning Series 7 and KIX EMAP Webinar 25, “How Policymakers Think: Sharing Research for Policy Use”, took place on 25 September 2025. The webinar was part of UNESCO’s Functional Area 1 (FA1) Learning Series 2025, and was co-organised by the Global Partnership for Education Knowledge Innovation Exchange (GPE KIX) Europe, Middle East and North Africa, Asia and Pacific (EMAP) Hub and UNESCO. It explored how Ministries of Education and partner research institutions are establishing and sustaining the production and use of research evidence in policy and planning decisions. The event was attended by over 230 participants from 64 countries.

The webinar centred around two insightful roundtable discussions, featuring speakers from eight countries representing knowledge users (government) and knowledge producers (academia, civil society organisations, and more).

The event opened with welcoming remarks from José Luís Canêlhas (KIX EMAP Hub). This was followed by a framing presentation from Gita Steiner-Khamsi (KIX EMAP Hub), which explored the evidence around the relationships between knowledge users and producers.

The first roundtable session, moderated by Gita Steiner-Khamsi, focused on knowledge users. It featured Elaine Munthe (University of Stavanger, Norway), Irsyad Zamjani (Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Indonesia), Lim Sothea (Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, Cambodia) and Lira Samykbaeva (Ministry of Education and Science, Kyrgyz Republic). Panellists shared about who their Ministries seek advice from when looking for research evidence to inform policy decisions, and how the uptake of research evidence is promoted and institutionalised within their country. During the Q&A session, panellists were prompted to elaborate on which types of institutions most commonly inform their policy work and how they assess the quality and relevance of evidence from different sources.

The second roundtable session, moderated by Chanwoong Baek (NORRAG), focused on knowledge producers. It featured Sajid Ali (Aga Khan University, Pakistan), Sung Jae Park (Korean Education Development Institute, Republic of Korea), Syeed Ahamed (Institute of Informatics and Development, Bangladesh) and Thi Ly Le (Mekong Development Research Institute, Vietnam). The panellists discussed how they build relationships with policymakers to ensure their research informs policy decisions and how they guard against becoming “policy contractors” to remain independent actors. In the Q&A session, audience members asked the speakers how the political agenda influences the research agenda in their countries, as well as the inverse – how research findings may be influencing policy priorities.

The webinar concluded with a presentation from Gwang-Chol Chang (UNESCO), in which he shared an overview of UNESCO’s High Level Steering Committee FA1: Using data and evidence for policy formulation, planning and implementation, including the past and upcoming webinars in the FA1 Learning Series. Dr Chang emphasised the critical role of knowledge brokering, connecting researchers and policymakers to ensure that scientific evidence informs practical decisions. He also introduced UNESCO’s Global Alliance on the Science of Learning for Education, which unites scientists, educators, and policymakers to explore how people learn and how this knowledge can transform teaching, curricula, and assessments. The science of learning draws on research from neuroscience, psychology, education, and related disciplines to understand learning across formal, informal, and community settings. By examining how cognitive, social, and emotional processes interact with learning environments, it provides insights to design more effective and engaging educational experiences. Dr Chang invited participants to upcoming sessions, including the second annual meeting of the Global Alliance on the Science of Learning for Education in Paris on 11–12 December 2025.

To learn more and find responses to the key questions shared during the webinar, please refer to the Webinar 25 FAQ document.

 

Key Takeaways

For knowledge users (policy makers):

  • Policymakers across regions highlighted the pressure to make rapid decisions, often before comprehensive research is available.
  • There is a strong demand for short, visually clear, and immediately usable evidence—policy briefs, infographics, and dashboards are preferred over long reports.
  • Trust in research remains a decisive factor: policymakers are more likely to use findings from sources perceived as credible, independent, and contextually relevant.
  • Selective use of evidence persists, with data often cited when it supports political or public narratives.
  • Ministries are increasingly investing in institutionalised knowledge systems—such as dedicated analysis units, national assessment platforms, and data portals—to ensure systematic use of evidence.
  • The integration of AI and digital data systems is helping governments generate real-time, policy-relevant insights.
  • Policymakers emphasised the value of collaboration with local and international partners, but also the importance of contextualising global data to national realities.

For knowledge producers (researchers):

  • Researchers stressed the importance of co-producing knowledge with ministries, schools, and communities to ensure ownership and uptake.
  • Localisation of research—embedding local data, language, and perspectives—was identified as key to policy relevance.
  • Participants highlighted that effective communication is as critical as sound methodology: findings must be translated into clear policy messages and narratives.
  • Sustained relationships and trust with policymakers—built over time through dialogue, responsiveness, and credibility—enable greater influence.
  • Researchers must remain independent yet pragmatic, balancing academic rigour with the realities of policy cycles and political change.
  • Alignment with national and global priorities (such as SDG4 and education sector plans) strengthens the legitimacy and impact of research.
  • Innovative engagement mechanisms—like policy conclaves, town halls, and informal policy dialogues—help bridge the gap between research and decision-making.

Additional Resources

Books:

Mekong Development Research Institute (Vietnam):

Aga Khan University (Pakistan):

UNESCO:

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