Editorial. The Impact of Scientific Advice

Views as to scientists' social responsibility have varied over time, but the centrality of science to today's knowledge society and the increasing involvement of scientists in policy advice makes neutrality increasingly hard to sustain.

Science Advice: Tasks, Preferable Features, Impact Assessment

Science plays a crucial role in shaping the future, making it necessary to take it into account in all policy-making decisions. In their current form, science advisory systems are ill-prepared for this role and radical changes need to be considered.

Identifying, examining and addressing the challenges and pitfalls that affect public perceptions of scientific research, and the extent to which they affect public trust in science, is a key factor in effective policy decisions based on scientific advice.

Although informing the public about science and its possibilities and consequences is an important task, the differences between how scientists and lay people seek to understand and solve problems can stand in the way of effective communication.

Options for Assessing the Impact of Scientific Advice

Providing scientific advice for policy-making is a complex procedure involving and affecting a variety of actors in different ways. The complexity and interactivity inherent in the provision and utilization of scientific advice needs to be taken into account when assessing and measuring impacts.

The European Research Advisory Board (EURAB) was established to advise the Commission on the design and implementation of Community RTD policy. The advice it has produced covers a variety of the dimensions of ERA.