About RIP

'Conflict Research and Policy - When, why and how can research make a policy impact?'

The formal academic study of conflict resolution has been in existence for over 35 years and in this time has developed a solid foundation of knowledge. There is widespread recognition from both the research and practitioner community on the need to impact policy. However, there is little common understanding of what 'impacting policy' actually means, how a researcher would implement this objective and the ways in which the effect might be measured. Moreover, policy makers are often frustrated with research results and overwhelmed by the differing opinions of so many experts. The Research Impacting Policy Project (RIP) aimed to improve the interaction between the research community involved in conflict related studies and those in the policy/government sectors who could utilise this expertise.

Objectives

The objectives of the project were:

• To map the existing links between conflict research, the policy process and those within the process who develop, guide or make decisions.
• To ascertain the constraints or inhibitors currently associated with enabling research to impact policy in conflict related fields from both a researcher and a policy maker perspective.
• To develop a set of recommendations that would serve to improve this interaction.
• To develop mechanisms for measuring the impact of research on policy.
• To instigate opportunities for the active linking of research to policy.

Publications

Mind the Gap - Policy Development and Research on Conflict Issues (February 2005)

This full report and research summary are both available online. Hard copies available on request.