Across the EU, governments face a critical challenge in effectively using scientific knowledge to inform public policy. Despite the recognized importance of evidence-informed policymaking, significant disparities remain in how Member States organise, access, and apply scientific evidence in governance. The COVID-19 pandemic particularly exposed these weaknesses, revealing inconsistencies in research quality, advisory structures, and messaging among countries. To address these systemic challenges, the European Commission, through DG REFORM, launched a multi-country initiative focused on building and strengthening national science-for-policy ecosystems. The Joint Research Centre (JRC) and the OECD jointly implemented the project, providing technical support to seven EU Member States. The goal was to enhance institutional capacities, foster cross-country learning, and promote greater integration of scientific evidence into public administration.
This project specifically focused on Lithuania and the Netherlands. In both countries, beneficiary organisations were analysed to understand their capabilities, needs, and strategic pathways toward improved evidence use in policymaking. In Lithuania, full support was provided to all analytical and consultative stages (100%), while in the Netherlands, support was provided selectively to complement contributions from other national experts (30%).
The following methods were applied to deliver the services:
· Desk research was conducted throughout the project to review existing legal frameworks, national strategies, policy evaluations, previous studies, and international literature. Key sources included the 2021 OECD report on EIPM in Lithuania, prior JRC papers, and national institutional documents. This formed the evidence base for understanding the structural and policy context of the Lithuanian science-for-policy ecosystem.
· 5 surveys were implemented to gather structured insights on demand, supply, and mediation of evidence in policymaking in Lithuania, addressed to the Office of the Government, line ministries, the Research Council of Lithuania, research performing organisations, and knowledge brokers/intermediary networks.
· Interviews were used to deepen understanding of institutional roles, barriers, and coordination mechanisms. A total of 24 semi-structured interviews were carried.
· Three focus group discussions were conducted to capture shared perspectives and facilitate peer dialogue across the ecosystem.
· Two consultation dialogues were organised to explore targeted thematic areas in greater depth, including (a) the role of the Science and Innovation Advisers network in evidence mediation, and (b) the design of incentive systems for researchers to engage in policy-relevant work.
· A participatory co-creation workshop brought together over 20 representatives from across the Lithuanian EIPM landscape, including beneficiary organisations, ministries, academia, and intermediaries. The workshop focused on validating emerging findings and testing the feasibility of proposed recommendations.
The project was developed through several phases, each accompanied by a dedicated reporting output. These phases built progressively on one another, starting with the Diagnostic Report, followed by the Needs and Gaps Assessment, the Country Roadmap, and culminating in a Final Report that integrated all findings and outputs.
The project delivered an actionable Country Roadmap that was developed through a highly participatory process – engaging policymakers, civil servants, academia and researchers at every stage. This collaborative framework fostered more structured engagement between policymakers and academia, laying the groundwork for a more coordinated and resilient science-for-policy ecosystem.
The Country Roadmap’s recommendations are already shaping national action as the Lithuanian authorities are developing a concrete implementation plan based on the results of the Country Roadmap report, mobilising key actors such as the Office of the Government, the Research Council of Lithuania, STRATA, and the Science and Innovation Advisers Network.