Evaluating the Outcomes of Science–Policy Dialogues in Granada

Authors

Esteban Romero-Frías
currently works as Vice-Rector for Social Innovation, Employability and Entrepreneurship at the University of Granada and is Full Professor in the Department of Accountancy and Finance. His academic and research work focuses on public and social innovation, digital learning, and digital humanities. Through UGR MediaLab, which he has directed since its foundation, he has led various collaborative projects such as Impronta Granada and UnInPública that are aimed at building bridges between universities, public institutions, and society to tackle regional challenges.
David Corado
is a conference interpreter, translator, and predoctoral researcher in the Languages, Texts and Contexts programme at the University of Granada. Trained at institutions such as the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and the Universitat Jaume I, he holds an FPU UGR–Santander research contract and is a member of Medialab UGR, where he takes part in projects such as ENGAGEgreen and #YoSigoUGR. He currently combines his teaching and research work with professional conference interpreting, collaborating on a voluntary basis with organisations, associations and non-profit entities. He has participated in academic projects, conferences and publications related to interpreting and communicative competences.

Evidence from ENGAGEgreen Surveys

Summary: Key features in a nutshell

Total respondents: 64 (43 + 21) from all quadruple-helix sectors
Average overall satisfaction: consistently above 4 out of 5 across both events
Highest-rated dimensions: participant satisfaction, networking, and willingness to continue collaboration
Lowest-rated dimensions: time management, clarity of objectives, and political follow-up
Findings reveal strong institutional trust in the University of Granada as a convener of regional dialogue

Description

This contribution presents the consolidated results from two evaluation surveys conducted after the First Impronta Granada Meeting (January 2025) and the First Meeting of UGR County Councils (July 2025). Both events were designed as science-policy dialogue platforms within the Erasmus+ ENGAGEgreen project, bringing together academia, public administration, business, and civil society across the province of Granada. The analysis combines quantitative satisfaction indicators with qualitative feedback to assess participant perceptions, areas for improvement, and overall impact of the Living Lab-based governance model.

How does the format work?

Post-event evaluation surveys were distributed in digital format via QR code and email within 24 hours of each meeting. The forms used a five-point Likert scale complemented by open-ended questions. The methodology ensured cross-sector participation and allowed comparison between the two events. Responses were triangulated with direct observation and informal feedback collected by the organizing team.

During the First Impronta Granada Meeting (January 2025):

The highest-rated aspect was Overall satisfaction (4.53), indicating strong approval of the event’s relevance and execution related to the science-policy dialogue format through the Living Lab methodology
Organization scored slightly lower (4.45), suggesting there is still room for optimization, particularly in time management and venue choice
Networking opportunities (4.36) were well-received, but feedback suggests participants are seeking slightly more structured and operational exchanges in future editions

During the First Meeting of UGR County Councils (July 2025):

Highest-rated aspects:

Intention of academics to maintain contact with policymakers (70)
Desire of academics to participate in more future knowledge exchange activities (60)
Recommendation of the event by academics (60)
Public administration’s interest in further exchanges with researchers (50)
Venue satisfaction (48)
Generation of a comfortable and trusting atmosphere (28)

Lowest-rated aspects:

Public administration’s receipt of concrete policy recommendations (29)
Public administration’s perception of having received a general overview or specific data (29)
Usefulness of the program (76)
Duration and structure of the session (71)
Equal opportunity for all participants to contribute (78)

Challenges

Maintaining a balanced representation of all quadruple-helix sectors
Managing limited time for presentations and group discussions
Translating satisfaction data into operational policy outcomes
Ensuring that recommendations are followed up institutionally
Fostering clarity of objectives and purpose about the expected outcomes and the real influence of UGR County Councils

Tasks and resources

Scientists

Conducted quantitative analysis of 64 valid responses (43 + 21) and calculated average ratings
Identified statistically consistent satisfaction levels: overall 4.53, organization 4.45, networking 4.36 in January 2025; and 4.70 for academics’ willingness to engage, 4.50 for policymakers’ interest, 4.48 for venue quality in July 2025
Interpreted qualitative feedback to highlight five recurring strengths: initiative appreciation, content relevance, collaboration commitment, willingness to contribute, and follow-up interest
Detected recurrent improvement areas: time allocation, venue accessibility, fostering political engagement, clarifying the Living Lab objectives, and need for practical actions
Drew comparative insights showing convergence between academic and policy expectations regarding continuous collaboration

Knowledge exchange managers and research managers

Consolidated survey results and coded open-ended responses thematically
Produced summary dashboards illustrating satisfaction and perception trends
Organized internal debriefing sessions with the ENGAGEgreen WP3 coordination team to interpret findings and feed them into Toolkit development
Drafted actionable recommendations for subsequent events, including improved facilitation methods and extended group-work sessions

Policymakers

Provided reflective input on how evaluation findings could inform county-level planning
Interested in ongoing collaboration but expressed lower ratings on receiving concrete, applicable outputs
Prioritized measures to increase inclusivity and clarify expected outputs of future UGR County Councils.
Recognized that systematic post-event evaluation enhances accountability and strengthens the evidence base for policy decisions.

First Impronta Granada Meeting (Jan 2025) — 43 responses; overall satisfaction 4.53 out of 5; networking 4.36; organization 4.45. Feedback praised cross-sector participation but requested improved time management and greater political involvement.

First UGR County Councils Meeting (Jul 2025) — 21 responses; balanced representation of academia (37.5 %); business (23.8 %); civil society (19.4 %); public administration (19.3 %); academics’ willingness to maintain contact 4.70; policymakers’ interest 4.50. Feedback emphasized the need for clearer objectives and longer, more inclusive group sessions.

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