The report is produced under the project “Building capacity for evidence informed policymaking in governance and public administration in post-pandemic Europe”, a Technical Support Instrument (TSI) multi-country project supported by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Structural Reform Support (DG REFORM). The beneficiary organisations of the project are the Office of the Government, the Government Strategic Analysis Centre (STRATA), and the Research Council of Lithuania (RCL). This integrated report consolidates the results of three distinct reports developed throughout the project phases: the Diagnostic Report, the Needs and Gaps Assessment Report, and the Country Roadmap Report.
The purpose of this report is to deliver a comprehensive analysis of the current capacities for evidence-informed policymaking (EIPM) within Lithuania’s governance and public administration and to set out an actionable vision for its future development. By evaluating the current state of EIPM and S4P functions in Lithuania, the report highlights the importance of bolstering institutional capacity and strengthening the development of science-policy linkages critical for informed decision-making across government. The roadmap includes key long-term recommendations to support the institutionalisation of EIPM, building political awareness and generating momentum for reform.
The project results indicate that Lithuania possesses the essential components of an EIPM ecosystem, including key actors, institutions, and established policy frameworks. Recent developments underscore a growing recognition among policymakers of the critical role of evidence—especially scientific evidence—in shaping effective policy. The State Progress Strategy ‘Lithuania's Vision for the Future: Lithuania 2050’ (hereinafter referred to as the State Progress Strategy ‘Lithuania 2050’), was developed by the State Progress Council and co-creators, including representatives from all parliamentary parties, numerous experts, organisations, and citizens. The process also involved collaboration between scientists and policymakers. Another notable example of this progress is the rollout of the Science and Innovation Advisers (S&IA) network, supported by stakeholders and institutions such as the Research Council of Lithuania and STRATA, which serve as both evidence providers and knowledge brokers.
Despite these advances, EIPM practices across government remain fragmented and inconsistent, highlighting the need for a more integrated and strategic approach. Challenges also persist on the supply side, where state-funded research institutes and universities encounter systemic, organisational, and individual barriers to engaging in science-for-policy activities (considered an integral part of the broader EIPM ecosystem).
To address these issues, the roadmap proposes transitioning to a whole-of-government EIPM governance model, led by the Office of the Government. This model would leverage both existing and new tools managed by the RCL and STRATA. Strengthening collaboration between academia and policy within the science for policy ecosystem as part of the broader EIPM can enhance evidence production, foster trust, and embed a culture of evidence-informed policymaking. In particular, the S&IA network has the potential to help optimise and link the governance of platforms and tools.
NAKROŠIS Vitalis;
PETRAITĖ Ieva;
BORTKEVIČIŪTĖ Rasa;
VILPIŠAUSKAS Ramūnas;
ALMEIDA Mara;
OLAJOS-SZABO Alexandra;
2025-03-17
Publications Office of the European Union
JRC141125
978-92-68-24154-7 (online),
OP KJ-01-25-057-EN-N (online),
https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC141125,
10.2760/0030376 (online),
