Bridging Science and Policy

Improving Policy-Science Dialogue

Welcome to Engage, a Joint Initiative of the ETH domain. Our goal is to improve Policy-Science Dialogue to tackle intricate societal challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss and the energy transition. We believe the following building blocks are key for an effective Science-Policy Dialogue: 

  • Identifying and Articulating Trade-Offs: We believe in openly addressing the trade-offs that inherently arise from these challenges. People participating in Science-Policy Dialogue should recognize, discuss, and transparently present these trade-offs.
  • Fostering Collaboration: Bridging the gap between natural sciences, social sciences, and the diversity of stakeholders is crucial.
  • Building Trust: We understand the importance of trust between the scientific community and policy-makers, practitioners, as well as broader society. We aim to strengthen this trust through open conversations and shared insights.
  • Innovative Tools for Negotiation: We are dedicated to developing and utilizing innovative tools, including negotiation facilitation and interactive games, to drive constructive discussions and facilitate learning.
  • Empowering Scientists and Institutions: Enhancing the capacity of scientists and scientific institutions to engage in Policy-Science Dialogues is a key objective. Engage offers opportunities for skill-building and expertise sharing.

What are Joint Initiatives?

In its Strategic Plan 2025–2028, the ETH Board defined “Strategic Areas” and launched “Joint Initiatives” on two of them. These initiatives strengthen the cooperation and coordination between the institutions of the ETH Domain in relation to the selected Strategic Areas.
Besides six Joint Initiatives within the Strategic Area “Energy, Climate and Environmental Sustainability”, in the Strategic Area “Engagement and Dialogue with Society”, four “Joint Initiatives” are cofinanced by the ETH board. This includes Engage. Read more...

Mission & Structure

Our activities are structured into three cohesive Work Packages (WPs), each addressing the core theme of Engage from a particular angle.

Dialogue Formats

Our objective in WP1 is to establish the fundamentals for a robust science-policy dialogue platform in Switzerland. This entails assessing and systematizing current dialogue formats, defining what makes a dialogue effective, and working closely with stakeholders to develop necessary institutional structures and rules.

Case Studies

In WP2, we address two critical societal issues with trade-offs and reliance on scientific insights. We focus on New Plant Breeding Technologies (NPBTs) and Energy Projects in Switzerland. Our approach includes identifying stakeholder priorities, assessing trade-offs, gathering scientific evidence on negotiation processes, and disseminating insights through various channels, using innovative tools like games. 

Capacity Building

Empowering researchers, policy-makers and practitioners to engage in a constructive science-policy dialogue is crucial when facing the complex and urgent problems facing society. Through innovative teaching and learning methods, we equip individuals with the competencies and skills to navigate this interface and to address challenges while critically reflecting on their roles.

Get engaged!

Are you passionate about engaging in science-policy dialogue? Do you possess valuable experience in this field within Switzerland and wish to share your expertise, or are you a scientist eager to influence policy but unsure how to connect with the right individuals?

We welcome your participation and insights! If you want to learn more about how you can contribute within Engage or participate in workshops we offer, please get in touch with us!