Science Advisors and “Good Evidence”: A Case Study

Abstract

This chapter addresses the place of research ethics in evidence-informed policy and the role of those who are elevated to special roles to advise governments. Science advisors are one type of institutional link between scientific research and policymakers. The aim of this chapter is to discuss the role for science advisors to provide the main guarantee that the research, which provides the evidence for policymaking, is based on methodologically robust and ethically grounded scientific work. This relies on the academic training and culture of the science advisers. There is currently no forum where policymakers and academic/higher education institution (HEI) researchers can easily come together to work jointly to develop the process of continuous expert policy advice and evaluation in response to key national strategic issues. In progressing this agenda, it is critical to design effective structures to identify research demand from government and ethically sound research supply from HEIs and other sources over the long term, at least at national levels. Even more importantly, there are no declared standards in scientific policy advice, except the assumption that those who have received an academic training are assumed to be bounded by robust academic values and carry these with them into their new roles in providing scientific advice for policymaking. To explore this issue, this chapter examines the case of the International Network for Government Science Advice (INGSA). This is a gateway to the community of professional science advisers working inside governments, and to those engaged in other aspects of the production, brokerage and analysis of scientific advice, not just in the European Union (EU) but globally.