Spanish government unveils new strategy for intercultural cooperation in science policy

On June 20, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced a new initiative aimed at promoting links between politicians and scientists. ONAC, the national scientific advisory office, will work directly with the prime minister’s office to coordinate scientific advisors in each government ministry. ONAC will also create a strategic support unit within Spain’s National Research Council (CSIC), which will have 10 permanent staff and strengthen relations between the country’s largest research institution and the government.

This follows the previous announcement of the establishment of a parliamentary office for science policy in 2021, which is a direct result of lobbying by the independent citizens’ initiative “Ciencia en el Parlamento”. While this office is located in the House of Representatives, the legislative branch of government, the new office, ONAC, will be in the Cabinet and will provide policy advice to the executive offices. “The structures and dynamics of science advice are different, (but) they strengthen a diverse and rich ecosystem that benefits society,” says Eduardo Oliver, current president of Ciencia en el Parlamento and researcher at the CIB “Margarita Salas” in Madrid, Spain. “ONAC should help to improve the implementation of public policies and face crisis situations,” explains Oliver. “We hope ONAC will demonstrate the usefulness of placing science advice at the heart of government, where it can be heard.”

ONAC currently has several staff working directly in the cabinet to coordinate the various scientific advisory structures and mechanisms across the government. One of the first actions will be to create scientific advisory positions in each ministry. “The advisor will be solely responsible for connecting the ministry’s questions with the answers provided by universities and research centres,” Sánchez said in a speech announcing the initiative. The ministerial advisors – 22 in all – will work closely with a new scientific advisory office at CSIC, which has already started recruiting 10 graduates to join the unit before the end of the month, offering salaries of €46,000 (£39,000).

In addition to the 32 advisors in ministries and CSIC, ONAC will further support science policy through the creation of an internship program that will allow researchers to spend six to eight months in government bodies, and a €2 million grant to fund projects that promote innovation and cooperation between researchers and policymakers. Among other things, the call will support the scanning and research of public databases “to transform rich, raw information… into scientific knowledge,” Sánchez said.

“Promoting science in the policy ecosystem aims to strengthen the relationship between scientists and decision-makers in the public sphere… increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of government actions,” Oliver says.