Science sparring

Science Sparring is interactive science support between researchers and decision-makers. Sparring strengthens theknowledge base of policy preparation. Science Sparring has been developed together with Finnish ministries.

Science Sparring brings together researchers and administration representatives. Dialogue sessions enable the utilization of researchers’ expertise at an early stage of policy planning. Instead of the traditional question-answer logic, policymakers and researchers work together.

Science Sparring is particularly suitable for extensive and multidisciplinary preparation projects, where it’s beneficial to structure the overall knowledge picture through collaboration between researchers and decision-makers. It can be used, for example, to clarify the societal challenges of a legislative project, to evaluate the existing knowledge base, to identify knowledge gaps, or to assess the impact of proposed measures.

Past Science Sparrings

Science Sparring sessions have been conducted with several ministries while co-developing the method. The Finnish Government Report on the Future (2019–2023) recommends wider use of Science Sparring in ministries’ policy preparation.

Ecological connectivity (Ministry of the Environment), autumn 2023
Anticipation of the Biodiversity Act (Ministry of the Environment), spring 2023
Climate Change Adaptation Program (Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry), spring 2022
Architectural Policy Program (Ministry of Education and Culture, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, and Ministry of the Environment), August–October 2021
Fossil-Free Transport Roadmap (Ministry of Transport and Communications), June 2021
Public Administration Strategy Work (Ministry of Finance and Association of Finnish Municipalities), March-September 2020
Nature Conservation Act Reform (Ministry of the Environment), June 2020 – March 2021
National Transport System Plan, Transport 12 (Ministry of Transport and Communications), June–August 2020
Climate Impact Assessment (Ministry of the Environment), January 2020

The Environmental Information Forum, Urban Academy, and Urban Research Institute Urbaria have also utilized and participated in developing Science Sparring.

Our Goal: Science Sparring Accessible to All

During 2024–2025, we will focus on developing Science Sparring and increasing the method’s impact. We will systematize and refine the concept to make Science Sparring accessible for the entire scientific community.

We test the applicability of Science Sparring in various contexts.
We publish instructions on implementing the concept.
We build Science Sparring into a customizable instrument for different target groups and various stages of bill drafting.
We train science brokers to utilize the method.

More About Science Sparring

Our policy recommendation on Science Sparring was published in New York at the United Nations Science, Technology & Innovation Forum in 2023 as an example of an innovative operational model. The global forum addressed the role of science in achieving sustainable development goals.
Science Sparring is presented in the action recommendations of the Government Report on the Future (2019–2023) as an operational model that should be more widely adopted in ministries’ policy preparation. The usefulness of Science Sparring is described especially in impact assessment work and identifying uncertainties.
Jaakko Kuosmanen’s presentation in the European University Association’s webinar series in June 2022.