Conversations that Open Doors

A World Café on Policy Careers and How Policymaking Institutions Work. A Case Study from Goethe-University Frankfurt

Key features in a nutshell

• This event format brings early-career researchers into direct conversation with practitioners from regional and national ministries and government agencies, the European Commission, NGOs, and media in a relaxed, small-group setting
• Using the World Café method, participants rotate between tables across three discussion rounds, allowing them to engage with multiple practitioners and perspectives in a single session
• Early-career researchers gain firsthand insight into how ministries and other policy institutions actually work – knowledge that cannot be obtained from reading official documents alone
• The format addresses a structural gap in many academic careers: researchers rarely have the opportunity to ask practitioners directly about career pathways, entry requirements, and the realities of working at the science-policy interface

How does the format work?

This event format was developed and is co-organized by the Policy Engagement Unit at Goethe University Frankfurt – through the Mercator Science-Policy Fellowship Programme and the Erasmus+ project ENGAGEgreen — and the Goethe Research Academy for Early Career Researchers (GRADE). The combination of science-policy expertise and graduate school infrastructure makes it particularly effective, as it addresses two knowledge gaps simultaneously.

First, early-career researchers often do not know how to make their research expertise available to professionals in ministries, the European Commission, NGOs, or media – and they rarely understand what those institutions actually need in terms of scientific input. Second, early-career researchers face a fundamental career decision: whether to pursue a path in academia or beyond. Direct conversations with practitioners provide them with a realistic picture of what non-academic careers at the science-policy interface actually look like.

Since its launch in 2019, the format has been continuously refined. To date, more than 60 policymakers and practitioners and 250 early-career researchers from Goethe University Frankfurt, TU Darmstadt, and Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz have participated.

The event can be organized in five steps.

Step 1: Write the event description

A clear event description helps attract the right participants – both early-career researchers and practitioners. The description should explain the purpose of the event, the key discussion questions, and the methods used. It serves as the basis for announcements in course catalogues, newsletters, and websites.

A sample event description:

Constructive dialogue among science, policy, media, and civil society requires more than good communication from researchers. Policy institutions, NGOs, and the media also need staff who can understand scientific findings and bring them to bear on societal decision making. This event explores how researchers can successfully make the transition from academia to ministries and other policy organizations, the European Commission, international organizations, NGOs, and media — and what challenges await them along the way.

We discuss the following questions with policymaking professionals and representatives from media and NGOs:

• In what contexts do you draw on scientific expertise, and how do you access and use research findings?
• What career pathways exist in your organization, and what are the entry prospects for doctoral researchers?

• What competencies and experiences are most important for making the transition from academia?
• How does working in a policy institution, NGO, or media organization differ from academia – with respect to pace, decision making, and ways of working – and why?

Methods: brief inputs by practitioners from various organizations; Q&A with the audience; small-group discussions; informal lunch with practitioners.

Step 2: Plan and organize the event

Fix the date and book the room five to seven months in advance. The room should comfortably accommodate 30 to 60 people. Use a banquet layout: round or rectangular tables with five to eight chairs each. Depending on the number of practitioners invited, you will need between five to twelve tables.

Once the event description is finalized, include it in the course catalogue of your graduate school or early-career researcher support structure so that participants can register in advance. A waiting list system is useful for popular editions of the event.

Step 3: Recruit practitioners and table facilitators

Reach out to policymakers and representatives from NGOs and media by contacting practitioners who are fellows or alumni of science-policy programs at your institution or partner universities. Human resources offices at ministries and public agencies can also be useful points of contact. Provide the event description and invite practitioners to join as experts. Aim to recruit between six to ten practitioners per event — enough to offer participants a meaningful choice of tables and perspectives across three rounds.

At the same time, recruit colleagues to serve as table facilitators. Their role is to keep discussions on track, ensure all participants have a chance to speak, and note down the questions raised by early-career researchers for later evaluation.

Step 4: Run the event

Practitioners typically arrive 15 to 30 minutes before the start of the event. Each practitioner is assigned to a table for the duration of the event. A typical program is as follows:

A typical event outline looks like this:

09:30-10:00: Arrival, registration, and informal get-together

10:00-10:10: Introduction: hosting organizations and event format. In our case: Introduction of the ENGAGEgreen project, the Mercator Science-Policy Fellowship-Programme and the Goethe Research Academy for Early Career Researchers.

10:10-10:40: Each practitioner introduces themselves. Guiding questions for the introduction: What are the tasks of your organization? What are your individual tasks? When do you need scientific evidence? Via which channels do you gain access to scientific evidence (e.g., policy briefs, commissioned research reports, expert talks, policy events)? What are typical career paths in your organization?

10:40-11:20: The early-career researchers move to the tables. First discussion round (Q&A session at the tables). Early-career researchers and table facilitators move to a new table after each round. Practitioners remain at their tables throughout. This allows each practitioner to speak with three different groups over the course of the event, and each participant to meet at least three different practitioners.

11:20-11:30: Coffee break

11:30-12:20: The early-career researchers move to the next table of their choice. The practitioners remain at their tables. Second small-group discussion round.

12:20-12:30: Coffee break

12:30-13:10: The early-career researchers move to the next table of their choice. The practitioners remain at their tables. Third small-group discussion round.

13:10-13:20: Invite two or three practitioners and two or three early-career researchers to share their reflections in plenary: What was the most interesting thing you learned today? What surprised you most? Close by sharing a QR code linking to the electronic feedback form. Distributing the QR code at this moment – when participants are still in the room – consistently yields response rates of 70 percent or higher.

13:20-14:20: Light lunch and networking

Step 5: Evaluate and follow up

Process the participant feedback promptly and use it to adjust the format for future editions. Send thank-you notes to all practitioners within a few days of the event. Where participants have noted recurring questions or knowledge gaps, consider compiling these into a practical Q&A handout for future participants.

Tasks and resources: Brief description of the tasks and resources needed by scientists, knowledge exchange officers/research managers, and policymakers

Workshop facilitators

Organizers are responsible for the full event cycle: writing the event description and announcing it via the relevant course catalogue or newsletter; booking the room, arranging seating, microphones, and catering; recruiting practitioners and table facilitators; and processing feedback after the event. The preparation phase typically spans several weeks.

Scientists

Early-career researchers should set aside approximately 3.5 to 4.5 hours for the event, including the informal lunch. Organizers may wish to share the key discussion questions in advance so that participants can prepare their own questions for practitioners.

Policymakers

Practitioners should set aside approximately 3.5 to 4.5 hours, including the informal lunch. Some practitioners bring career information materials to share with participants; this is encouraged and adds practical value to the conversations.

Sources and further reading

• Brown, J. & Isaacs, D. (2005). The World Café: Shaping Our Futures through Conversations That Matter. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
• World Café Method — theworldcafe.com
• Erasmus+ project ENGAGEgreen
• Mercator Science-Policy Fellowship Programme, Goethe University Frankfurt
• GRADE — Goethe Research Academy for Early Career Researchers

Do you want to know more about the policy engagement toolkit?

Do you want to share your experience in policy engagement? Do you think about contributing to the policy engagement toolkit? Feel free to contact Tome Sandevski via science-policy@pvw.uni-frankfurt.de