Welcome to the Policy Engagement Toolkit

Research and policymaking are closely interconnected. Policymakers often rely on scientific evidence and expert knowledge to address complex societal challenges, while researchers can benefit from a deeper understanding of policy priorities, decision-making processes, and real-world needs. Policy engagement provides opportunities to strengthen these connections and promote meaningful exchanges between the research and policy communities.

The Policy Engagement Toolkit has been developed to support researchers, research managers, knowledge exchange professionals, policymakers, and other stakeholders who are interested in fostering evidence-informed policymaking. It offers practical guidance, examples, and resources that help users better understand the many ways in which research and policy can interact and inform one another.

Policy engagement encompasses a wide range of activities. It can involve written outputs such as policy briefs and reports, interactive formats such as workshops and hearings, collaborations with intermediary organisations, or educational approaches that connect learning with policy practice. There is no single pathway to successful policy engagement. Different contexts, objectives, and audiences require different approaches, and effective engagement often combines several methods and strategies.

This introductory section provides an overview of the toolkit’s purpose, structure, and key concepts. It explains how the different sections relate to one another and offers guidance on how to navigate and use the toolkit according to individual needs and interests. Whether you are new to policy engagement or looking to expand existing activities, this section serves as a starting point for exploring the diverse opportunities available at the science–policy interface.

The examples, case studies, and resources presented throughout the toolkit draw on experiences from across Europe and reflect the collaborative spirit of the ENGAGEgreen project. Together, they aim to support stronger relationships between research and policymaking and contribute to more effective knowledge exchange and evidence-informed decision-making.