The Utilisation of Social Science Research in Policy Development and Program Review (2010-2013)

Academics lament that policy-makers ignore their research, while policy decision-makers argue that academic research is largely irrelevant to their needs. This project aims to reconcile these two positions by investigating social science research utilisation within public sector agencies. Little is known about the impact of social science research on policy decision-making in Australia. Using quantitative and qualitative methods this project will examine factors that facilitate and hinder the policy uptake of academic social research. Outcomes will enhance the implementation of evidence-based policy, improve social science research collaborations and inform debates about how the non-academic impact of social research can be measured.