SCIENCE FOR POLICY - POLICY FOR SCIENCE

Conference Aims and Themes

Aims:

  • to showcase the latest in international Science Policy Studies (SPS) thinking and to support emerging SPS scholarship in the Asia Pacific region
  • to stimulate new understanding of the interactions between science and policy
  • to consider the international trends for science policy systems, the development and implementation of science policy, and the use of science knowledge in the policy process
  • to bring together science policy researchers, government officials, indigenous knowledge holders, scientists from multiple disciplines, Māori scientists, industry and professional association members in a knowledge-rich and engaging environment.

Scope:

The conference will consider the broad sweep of social research on the relationships between science (including social science) and policy decision-making for national wellbeing through science, technology and innovation. It is a research-based conference, rather than an advocacy event, designed to link findings from the field of SPS with policy and economic discussion. Academic contributions are being sought which offer critical theoretical perspectives on science, policy and innovation, and which also translate SPS concepts for a non academic audience.

Themes:

  • Policy for Science: policy and governance of science, technology and innovation
  • Science for Policy: the sciences in the policy process.

Some key research questions in these areas are:

Policy for Science: How is science policy developed? How has the science system evolved over time and what are the key issues facing it today? How are scientists, industry and society engaged in the development of science policy? How is science linked with innovation and sustainability? What new forms of knowledge are emerging in the early 21st century and how are these being addressed inside the science system?

Science for Policy: How is scientific knowledge used in decision-making in government and industry? How can science address future challenges in economic development, social well-being and climate change? What role should scientists have in the policy process? What forms of knowledge are needed? What is the role of indigenous knowledge? What are the opportunities and limits of ‘evidence-based’ policy?