Workshop: “From Research to Public Policy”

How does your research influence public policy? This question is rarely framed in terms of the quality of the results. Rather, it hinges on the choice of stakeholders, the nature of the relationship built with those who shape public policy, the format of the data produced, and the timing of its dissemination.

There is no single way to bridge the gap between science and decision-making. The morning session will bring together speakers with diverse backgrounds who will share how their work has intersected with public decision-making processes: what was at stake, what changed along the way, and what they had to accept they could not control. The goal will not be to identify a single model for the science-policy interface, but rather to share a variety of approaches to broaden the range of possibilities.

In the second part, we’ll offer a peer-led workshop format. Based on scenarios provided by the participants and explored in small groups, everyone will leave with ideas for their own project:

• End of the process — capitalize on and share the results with decision-makers;
• midpoint — adjust the project to strengthen its influence on the decision;
• Early in the process —incorporate the science-and-decision-making dimension from the design phase onward.

The second session, held in April 2026, received a rating of 4.5 out of 5. Participants particularly noted the diversity of experiences and perspectives represented, as well as the peer-learning format—to which this session will devote more time.

The speakers will be announced in the coming weeks, along with the registration link 

Key details: December 14, 2026 — 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. — Panathénées Room – Hall des Statues, Saint Charles 2 Campus, Montpellier