In this current social political and economic climate, it is paramount that evidence-based policymaking is more than just optional, but it’s essential.
It is important to recognize, however, that while numerous academic researches are produced annually, a meager portion is synthesized to reach in a meaningful way the policymakers and public institutions, journalists, and civic leaders. This gap on research and policies continues to undermine potential scholarship and public problem interactions in a more productive and meaningful manner.
This is where Scholars.sg enters. With the rest of the Scholars Strategy Network, Scholars.sg has the infrastructure, guidance, and resources to ensure that research not only gets attention but it gets utilized.
With more than 2000 researchers in 47 states, the network is committed to integrating academic knowledge as a reliable and valuable resource in all levels of policymaking.
The Issue: Research Remains Confined Within The University
Good intentions aside, university-affiliated research is often left unaddressed because of the difficulty in writing and delivering the research findings from an academic study on the part of the researchers. Most academic work is in the form of long journal articles, theoretically dense papers, and highly specialized and detailed reports which require an expert reader to interpret and analyze.
On the other hand, policymakers work in highly demanding and constrained environments that require the making of important and time-sensitive decisions and aside from the competing priorities that come with the work, they simply do not have the capacity to analyze the raw data.
Even journalists, not to mention civic intermediaries, encounter the same situation. Even journalists who have the work of researching, simply do not have the ability to find credibly active academics. Consequently, significant and important data is neglected and public discussions continue to be held on issues that do not have fact-based knowledge.
What We Do: Engaging Public Scholars
Passive public academic expertise was the motivation behind the creation of the network. The network’s trainings and idea is to support scholars who intend to maximize their public engagement and realize their academic research contributions in the form of long-term collaborative partnerships.
Four core pillars comprise the central components of Scholars.sg:
- Teaching Public Engagement Best Practices
Public engagement is crucial. However, the majority of researchers have been trained to write within their respective disciplines, especially to ignore policy professionals and the public. Scholars.sg teaches academics the skills needed to write clearly, concisely, and persuasively.
These skills include:
- Articulating complex findings and eliminating jargon
- Evaluating the true policy relevance of their work
- Understanding how to communicate to non-academics effectively
- Building trust and credibility with decision makers
Over time, scholars become confident communicators and sustain public dialogue.
- Providing Practical Support to Policymakers and Civic Leaders.
Effective engagement does not simply concern the dissemination of knowledge. It is also about assisting those with the power to make and shape public decisions. Scholars.sg expects members to offer practical and realistic insights that deliver support in decision making.
This involves, but is not limited to:
- Research implications for legislation
- Expert testimony
- Rapid-response insights for new issues
- Data interpretation for journalists
When scholars come prepared to support, trust is gained and policy is improved.
- Aligning Scholars into Chapters, Cohorts, and Working Groups
Having a powerful voice is great, but a unified team of experts is groundbreaking. Scholars.sg distributes its members to focus on local chapters and other similar working issue groups, forming units that can effectively move toward the deployment of evidence-based solutions.
These teams facilitate expertise and make it possible to address education, climate policy, democratic governance, health equity, and other issues on a sustained basis through strategic responses to policy windows and the building of partnerships with local institutions.
- Assisting Scholars to Find the Right Words and Develop the Right Messages
A major area of value added by Scholars.sg is the assistance they provide to researchers to help them find the right words and tell the story compellingly. Crafting theory will not preserve time, because decision makers will want to know the impact.
With the help of Scholars.sg, message articulation, research framing, and confident delivery of the findings (spine) comes to the table, and the research (rigorous) is no longer sitting on the shelf; action is taken.
Why This Work Matters Now
The stakes are no longer the same. We are living in a reality where complex policymaking exists, and misinformation is instantaneous; the need in society is to have credible, research-informed guidance. Sound evidence (theory) not guess work, ideology, or other popular (viral) narratives should shape the outcomes on the lives of millions. This is where the work of Scholars.sg becomes vital.
By educating academics on how to connect and interact policymakers, and making sure their work is transmuted into thoughtful insight, Scholars.sg is cultivating a nation-wide standard where research truly enlightens policy.
The integration of research opens up new opportunities and benefits for democracy, smartens the available solutions, and knowledge that would otherwise be pent up is profusely offered to the community.