Science Sparring

Science Sparring transforms science-policy interactions. It identifies risks related to policy-making systematically and proactively.

Science Sparring is policy red teaming where researchers review and comment on early policy drafts from the perspective of research knowledge and expertise, providing adversarial scrutiny to the policy-making process.

Science Sparring has been co-developed together with ministries in Finland. It is suitable for the need of both civil servants preparing decisions and political decision-makers.

Science Sparring briefly

• Suitable particularly for complex systemic policy topics, where identifying interdependencies between policy issues is crucial.

• Knowledge brokers design and facilitate the process. Well planned process creates a unique environment of trust and enables an equal science-policy dialogue.

• A goal-oriented process that aims to respond to a pre-identified knowledge need.

• Inspired by methods using adversarial scrutiny, including red teaming, which has been used in intelligence and foresight.

Our goal is to make Science Sparring accessible to all

At the start of 2026 we published a Finnish handbook on the method. It has been also translated into English and published under the name Policy Red Teaming: A How-To Guide on Science Sparring.

In spring 2026, we brought together 24 knowledge brokers from different organisations for a Science Sparring Masterclass, a peer-learning group designed to encourage wider use of the method.

Our previous Science Sparrings

• Governance of Information and Technology Policy (Information Policy Working Group), 2026

• Measures to improve education learning outcomes (Ministry of Education and Culture), 2026

• Knowledge base for promoting capital-driven industrial competitiveness (Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, Ministry for Foreign Affairs), 2025

• Knowledge base for civil society policy (Ministry of Justice), 2025

• The impact of tipping points on emergency supply (National emergency supply agency, Operaatio Arktis), 2025

• Requirements set by the sustainability crisis for journalism and science communication (Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science HELSUS), 2025

• High impact climate actions in regional administration (ELY Centres), 2025

• Knowledge base of physical activity, sports and elite sports (Ministry of Education and Culture), 2025 | Read more

• Monitoring and Evaluation Plan for Government R&D funding (Prime Minister’s Office), 2024

• Systems mapping on demographic change (Prime Minister’s Office, DEMOGRAPHY program), 2024

• Implementation of the Restoration Regulation (Ministry of the Environment, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Science Panels), 2024

• Anticipation of the Biodiversity Act (Ministry of the Environment), 2023

• Ecological connectivity (Ministry of the Environment), 2023

• National Climate Adaptation Plan (Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry), 2022

• Architectural Policy Program (Ministry of Education and Culture, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, and Ministry of the Environment), 2021

• Roadmap to Fossil-Free Transportation (Ministry of Transport and Communications), 2021

• Nature Conservation Act reform (Ministry of the Environment), 2021

• Public Sector Strategy (Ministry of Finance and Association of Finnish Municipalities), 2020

• National Transportation Plan, (Ministry of Transport and Communications), 2020

• Climate Regulatory Impact Assessment (Ministry of the Environment, Ministry of Justice), 2020

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

Impactful Science Sparring

• Policy red teaming with scientists already across two governmental terms, 2025 | Read more

More About Science Sparring

The knowledge broker’s AI assistant – a tool developed with Aalto University identifies knowledge gaps and assumptions, blog explains about the development work on AI-assisted Science Sparring.

OECD Education Policy Perspectices (2024, No 96) presents Science sparring as good practice to strengthen science-for-policy interactions.

The Finnish Government report on the Future (2019–2023) recommends wider adoption of Science Sparring in ministries’ policy preparation processes.

Nature article (4.12.2024) frames Science Sparring as promising knowledge brokering method.

Policy Brief (5/2023) was published in New York at the United Nations Science, Technology & Innovation Forum in 2023 as an example of an innovative operational model.

CECAN Webinar – Policy Red Teaming: Uncovering Policy Risks Before It’s Too Late

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