Workshop on boundary spanning between science and global policymaking | EPFL Doctoral School

Working at the interface between science and policy is a complex endeavour that entails specific skills, knowledge and tools. This field of practice can be captured in the concept of ‘boundary spanning’. With mounting calls – within the UN and at national levels – for more effective science-policy interfaces (SPIs), it is urgent to work towards the professionalisation of this field. That requires teaching students and researchers how SPIs work in practice; how boundary spanners intervene; and inspire new generations to engage in this area.This workshop will provide an overview of boundary-spanning actors and mechanisms within the international Geneva ecosystem and motivate reflections among the participants on potential career paths at the interface of science and policy. It will also serve to gauge the needs and interests of participants in terms of science-policy engagement to inform the development of our Learning at the boundary training programme.

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The workshop is dedicated to EPFL’s PHD candidates. It will explore three thematics:

• Multilateral policy and the role of science
• Navigating the Science-Policy Interface
• Spanning science-policy boundaries in participants’ context

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After the workshop, we will hold a roundtable discussion with Prof. Jacques Fellay (EPFL), Diana Rizzolio (GEN) and Nicolas Seidler (GSPI), followed by a networking apéro.

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