Our society is facing major challenges. Climate change, the shift to the right in Europe, the impact of the pandemic and demographic change are putting politics and democracy to the test. Decisions often have to be made under great time pressure. The gap between scientific knowledge and political action is sometimes wide. This is precisely where the Humboldt-Governance Lab comes in. It aims to help make scientific research accessible to policymakers and develop solutions together with representatives from politics, business and civil society. The lab was founded by Heike Klüver, HU professor and head of the Department of Comparative Political Behavior. The founder emphasizes:
“More than ever, we need a policy lab that supports evidence-based decisions and at the same time scientifically evaluates the effectiveness of political measures.”
Photo: Prof. Dr. Heike Klüver
Three central functions of the Governance Lab
The Humboldt-Governance Lab has three main tasks: Firstly, it makes current research findings accessible to decision-makers and journalists. The aim is to enrich political processes and debates with well-founded information. Secondly, the Lab promotes dialog between science, politics, business and civil society. It aims to facilitate the exchange of information on pressing social issues. Thirdly, the Lab works together with political actors to develop and review new political measures. This results in concrete, scientifically sound solutions for current challenges.
Public research for better decisions
The public accessibility of research is a central concern of the Lab. Research results must not remain confined to the academic world; they should form the basis for political decisions and public debates. An informed society can lead to better political results. The Humboldt-Governance Lab aims to promote precisely this exchange.
Science communication in Germany
There is still room for improvement in communication between science and the public in Germany.
The pandemic in particular has shown how important evidence-based information is – but also how dangerous misinformation can be.
“In the social sciences, the line between scientific findings and personal opinions sometimes becomes blurred,”
the founder points out. Here, science needs to communicate more clearly what is supported by empirical data and what remains personal interpretation. Misunderstandings in this area could otherwise lead to wrong political decisions.
Website: hu-govlab.de/en
