Project

Experimentation in European Innovation Policy

Innovating through experimentation: promoting more experimental approaches to innovation policy and citizen engagement

Evidence to action Policy ideas and analysis

We are partnering with the European Commission to embed the use of policy experimentation for Research and Innovation (R&I) policy across the European Union.

Over the course of this three-year project with the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD), we have promoted the use of policy experimentation as a tool embedded in Research and Innovation policies across Europe.

As a key component of this effort, we have co-created strategic policy recommendations on how to increase the use and impact of experimentation in R&I policy. The recommendations are based on our decade-long experience in embedding experimentation in public policy, and are coupled with a comprehensive understanding of experimentation efforts in the EU, as well as the European Commission context. Making research and innovation policy more experimental across Europe requires a combination of tools, incentives and institutional changes. This calls for a coordinated effort that blends awareness-raising, capacity-building, new learning networks and dedicated funding.

As part of the support, we complemented the strategic and high-level policy work with practical and on-the-field experimentation proving that rigorous methodologies like Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs) can be valuable at any level of government.

Ideating, designing and implementing two new and innovative policy experiments related to citizens’ engagement and EU Missions with the Municipalities of Cluj-Napoca (Romania) and Turku (Finland). These were the first-ever RCTs conducted by these municipalities, proving that rigorous experimentation is possible and effective at any policy level.
Leveraging an experimental online survey across six countries to understand citizen attitudes to citizen engagement and experimentation, proving that experimentation is a popular policy tool among EU citizens.

Progress towards a more experimental R&I policy across the EU and European Commission depends on creating the right mix of motivation, ability and opportunity for policymakers and delivery partners to test, learn and adapt.

Building directly on this project, as well as earlier experimental initiatives such as INNOSUP-06-2018, we are currently working with the European Commission on preparatory actions to establish a new Community of Practice (CoP) for policy experimentation within the European Union’s Research and Innovation landscape. Ultimately, this CoP will be instrumental in driving the wider adoption of policy experimentation, leading to more effective, evidence-informed R&I policies that can truly address Europe’s most pressing challenges and accelerate the green and digital transitions.