DRAFT The Role of Scientific Research Policy Making ---------DRAFT---------- Course Nr Semester SPRING ( Jan 22- Apr 30) (14 lectures) Time and Place Instructor: NAOUMA KOURTI Short CV: Naouma is a senior researcher (principal administrator) in the Joint Research Centre ( http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/jrc/ ) of the European Commission. She joined the Commission in 1996 as an Automatic Control Engineer for Nuclear Safety. From 1999 to 2007 she led the development of a prototype system for Fisheries Monitoring and Control, which was included in the European Legislation. Since 2008 she works for Critical Infrastructure Protection. She developed the strategy for DG HOME’s ERNCIP (European Reference Network for Critical Infrastructure Protection http://ipsc.jrc.ec.europa.eu/index.php/ERNCIP/688/0/ ) and leads it since then. She manages a team of 12 people and an annual budget of 700KEuro. ERNCIP the Network counts today more than 200 active stakeholders all over Europe. Naouma Kourti will be visiting Fellow from the European Union Institutions at George Mason University's School of Policy, Government, and International Affairs during the Autumn 2014 and Spring 2015 Semester. Contact details: [email protected]room: 625 Thursdays 6-7 PM Introduction and Objectives Scientific and technical support to policy making or else evidence-based policy making is becoming increasingly important. Scientific evidence, facts based on scientific analysis or advice on technology matters, often underpins every phase of the policy circle; policy conception, formulation, implementation and assessment. This is not chance. The complex living style of the 21 st century is characterized by pervasive technologies, a science oriented education and critical minded people, who prefer to have choices and options backed with facts and numbers and a supporting technology to all undertaken actions. Moreover science has by far proven to give the most convincing answers and has largely ousted religious and political beliefs as means of regulatory framework development.
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DRAFT
The Role of Scientific Research Policy Making
---------DRAFT----------
Course Nr
Semester SPRING ( Jan 22- Apr 30) (14 lectures)
Time and Place
Instructor: NAOUMA KOURTI
Short CV: Naouma is a senior researcher (principal administrator) in the Joint Research Centre ( http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/jrc/ ) of the European Commission. She joined the Commission in 1996 as an Automatic Control Engineer for Nuclear Safety. From 1999 to 2007 she led the development of a prototype system for Fisheries Monitoring and Control, which was included in the European Legislation. Since 2008 she works for Critical Infrastructure Protection. She developed the strategy for DG HOME’s ERNCIP (European Reference Network for Critical Infrastructure Protection http://ipsc.jrc.ec.europa.eu/index.php/ERNCIP/688/0/ ) and leads it since then. She manages a team of 12 people and an annual budget of 700KEuro. ERNCIP the Network counts today more than 200 active stakeholders all over Europe.
Naouma Kourti will be visiting Fellow from the European Union Institutions at George Mason University's School of Policy, Government, and International Affairs during the Autumn 2014 and Spring 2015 Semester.
Scientific and technical support to policy making or else evidence-based policy making is becoming increasingly important. Scientific evidence, facts based on scientific analysis or advice on technology matters, often underpins every phase of the policy circle; policy conception, formulation, implementation and assessment. This is not chance. The complex living style of the 21st century is characterized by pervasive technologies, a science oriented education and critical minded people, who prefer to have choices and options backed with facts and numbers and a supporting technology to all undertaken actions. Moreover science has by far proven to give the most convincing answers and has largely ousted religious and political beliefs as means of regulatory framework development.
Scientific and technical advice to policy making occurs in a variety of means in the western part of the world. There are posts of scientific advisors attached to a large number of western leaders. There are scientific and technological agencies, organization, institutes or associations that regularly deliver reports to policy makers on a variety of subjects. Experts may be invoked by different means contracts, conferences or as community of interest. Moreover research programs are often designed to be exploited in their capacity to deliver results potentially useful to policy makers in the short and medium term. The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre is entirely dedicated to this mission : to provide EU policies with independent, evidence-based scientific and technical support throughout the whole policy cycle.
This course will investigate the variety of the means to deliver scientific and technical support, evidence, to policy makers at all stages of the policy making process. It includes practical examples taken out from mainly European Research Programs and the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre work program for Security and Critical Infrastructure Protection. Parallels to American research systems will be drawn and differences will be discussed. The course is designed to train future policy makers to define questions and requests that can be easily followed up by scientists and will explain what science can deliver to them and how research results can be understood and used properly.
Learning Outcomes
1. Insight of European Policy Making and Institutions
Science is in the root of the development of the EU itself and essential building block of its policies.
2. Understand the scope, the players and the outcomes of Research Programs
The design of research programs is crucial if policy makers are supposed to be able to use the results.
3. Understand how to formulate problems, on which scientists can work.
The formulation of concrete questions and requests is important in order to receive concrete answers.
4. Understand what research organisations can offer to policy makers
Scientific organisations like to engage in basic research, in order this to be relevant for policies, policy makers have to keep up a continuous open dialogue and exchange of views in order to receive advice in a form that they can use.
5. Basics of Strategic Planning and Project Management
Strategic Planning and Project Management are important tools for the policy maker, in order to properly distribute budget and keep control of launched activities. They also help justifying expenses and receive appropraitions.
Delivery method & Course Materials
Course delivery will include lectures, in-class exercises, guest speakers, and interactive classroom discussions. The assigned course readings include a variety of resources, such as authoritative readings (legislation, executive orders, policies, and plans and strategies), implementation readings (government products that are
responsive or attempt to fulfill the requirements of authoritative documents), external reviews and articles.
Readings have been selected to be publicly available from the Internet, downloadable directly from the links next to their titles.
Grading and Requirements
Grading:
Students will be evaluated on the basis of:
• Class Participation (20%). Each session will include presentations and structured discussions on issues raised. Students are expected to participate actively. Participation will include an intervention by each student on the basis of a briefing note prepared by a different student.
• Participation in the 3 exercises (30%).
• One short research paper (6000-7000 words) on a topic of security research chosen by the student and approved by the instructor (50%). The paper should describe a need for policy and the related research program required. The student should collect scientific work done on the described need, evaluate the types of sources and draw conclusions relevant to the policy need. According to the conclusions propose new legislation or a new research program or both.
Class Participation:
Students need to attend regularly and participate effectively. Except for the introductory lessons, classes include formal presentations by students, interventions on the basis of a briefing, and discussions on them.
Therefore, students should let the instructor know in advance if they are not able to come to class.
All cell phones to be turned off before class begin.
Students with Special Needs
If you are a student with a disability and you need academic accommodations, please see me and contact the Disability Resource Center (DRC) at 993-2474. All academic accommodations must be arranged through the DRC.
SPGIA Policy on Plagiarism:
The profession of scholarship and the intellectual life of a university as well as the field of public policy inquiry depend fundamentally on a foundation of trust. Thus any act of plagiarism strikes at the heart of the meaning of the university and the purpose of the School of Policy, Government, and International Affairs. It constitutes a serious breach of professional ethics and it is unacceptable.
Plagiarism is the use of another’s words or ideas presented as one’s own. It includes, among other things, the use of specific words, ideas, or frameworks that are the product of another’s work. Honesty and thoroughness in citing sources is essential to professional accountability and personal responsibility. Appropriate citation is necessary so that arguments, evidence, and claims can be critically examined.
Plagiarism is wrong because of the injustice it does to the person whose ideas are stolen. But it is also wrong because it constitutes lying to one’s professional colleagues. From a prudential perspective, it is shortsighted and self-defeating, and it can ruin a professional career.
The faculty of the School of Policy, Government, and International Affairs takes plagiarism seriously and has adopted a zero tolerance policy. Any plagiarized assignment will receive an automatic grade of “F.” This may lead to failure for the course, resulting in dismissal from the University. This dismissal will be noted on the student’s transcript. For foreign students who are on a university-sponsored visa (eg. F-1, J-1 or J-2), dismissal also results in the revocation of their visa.
To help enforce the SPGIA policy on plagiarism, all written work submitted in partial fulfillment of course or degree requirements must be available in electronic form so that it can be compared with electronic databases, as well as submitted to commercial services to which the School subscribes. Faculty may at any time submit student’s work without prior permission from the student. Individual instructors may require that written work be submitted in electronic as well as printed form. The SPGIA policy on plagiarism is supplementary to the George Mason University Honor Code; it is not intended to replace it or substitute for it.
Course Outline
Session 1 (January 22): Introduction to the Course and discussion on how scientific research influences policy making
Issues:
Climate Change and Civil Security are the most illustrious recent examples of how science and technology influence policy making. There is plenty of historical evidence of decision makers instrumentalising science and technology for political reasons. With the realm of industrialization, technology providers, became an important economy sector, which influences policy making, mostly concerning the use and trade of the technologies at hand. The second half of the twentieth century marked a significant increase and strengthening of the international scientific community, which enjoys the respect of the public. This led policy makers to seek more active support from this community to the policy making process, as means of public endorsement. In the recent years scientists have become increasingly confident and seek to actively influence policy making.
Questions:
What is evidence based policy making
History of evidence based policy making
Challenges for scientists to provide Policy Support
Examples of science and technologies (and scientists) which (who) influenced the course of policies
Session 2 (January 29): Scientific and Technical Advice to today’s policies
Issues: How is S&T delivered today. All related bodies in EU and US. Distinction between research policy and policy research. Rules to successful S&T advise. The right for good administration
Questions:
What are the limitation of S&T for policy making?
How should the policy maker proceed?
Do people notice, evidence based policy?
How should scientists behave in political debates?
Related Reading: http://ec.europa.eu/justice/fundamental-rights/charter/index_en.htm
Session 3 (February 5): EU’s Policy Making Process-History, Process, Institutions
Issues:
Some Facts of the EU of Today. The Challenges of Today. Similarities with the US. How did EU Institutions develop. The mission, organisation and objectives of main EU Institutions. The Process of Policy Making in the EU. How do Stakeholders interact with the EU. The European budget. Similarities with the US.
Questions:
Why was the EU established? What keeps the EU together today? The European Commission. How to interact with the EU Institutions? Which steps to preparation of policies? What is the role of lobbists?
Session 4 (February 12): EU Research Policies & Instruments
Issues:
A short history of the establishment of the Research Framework Program(FP). The differences of the previous Research Framework Programs (1-7) and the current Horizon 2020. Which are the Thematic Priorities now and past? Who is eligible to participate and what are the budgets. Which Directorate Generals (DGs) are in charge of Research. The Stakeholder Consultation Process.
Questions:
What’s the budget for Research?
How do National Research Programs interact with the Framework Programs?
Why not FP 8?
Research in collaboration with non-EU countries.
How does it compare to the US Federal Research Program?
According to you, in which areas would research collaboration between EU and US be possible and fruitful?
A history of the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre. Its Mission, Methods of Work and Organisation. Its involvement in the Policy Making Process. Its Success Stories. Similar Organisations in the US.
Questions:
Why does the Commission need its JRC?
What is it there for?
Why is neutrality and impartiality important in research?
During this session participants will talk about the policies of their interest and related regulations. They will express research needs for their policy of interest according to best knowledge) and will propose research projects. During the lecture we shall check in the
web sites of both European Institutions such as JRC and American Labs if related research is in place and if there are published results to improve current policies. Additionally we shall also search for peered reviewed scientific publications on the policy of interest and try to assess the usefulness of such publications for future regulations.
Session 6 (February 26): Security Policies in the EU
Issues:
The Development of Civil Security Policies in the EU. Security in Lisbon Treaty. DG’s involved in the Civil Security Policy Making. EPCIP, its Impact and development. The Role of EU’s Security Industry.
Questions:
What is the evolution of civil security in the EU?
How are security policies structured in EU?
Which are the differences with the US?
Which are the challenges faced by EPCIP?
Related Reading: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/what-we-do/policies/immigration/index_en.htm
Session 7 (March 5): Basics of Strategic Development and Project Management
Issues:
How do we plan for the future. Who’s opinion counts. What means strategic. Project management in policy making. We shall go through important EU strategic documents and their roadmaps.
History of Security Research. Projects funded so far. Results obtained. Horizon 2020 Security Program. The Impact on the Scientific Community. Similar Projects in the US.
History of Security Research in DG HOME. Priorities and Projects financed so far. Results obtained. The difference to DG ENTR’s Program. The Impact to the stakeholder community. The impact to DG HOME policies.
Questions:
Which are the priorities of the various Programmes?
What type of projects are funded?
JRC’s participation in fp7-security?
Is security Research structured similar in the USA?
Which are the projects?
Who are the participants?
How have they contributed to better homeland security policies?
Session 10 (April 2): Security Industry Competitiveness
Issues:
Need to improve the Competitiveness of EU’s Security Industry, DG ENTR’s efforts. Standards and Certifications. Innovation and Trade. How can research help? How does the US do it?
Questions:
Which are the indicators of competitive security industry?
How can the research programs support industrial competitiveness?
During this session participants will have to collect research results from a variety of sources. The sources will be chosen carefully so as to ensure neutrality, best expertise, most advanced knowledge. A fully fledged project Plan including budget will be developed.
Session 11 (April 9): Security Research in the EU: The Joint Research Centre Program
Issues:
The JRC Security Research Program, The Institute for Protection and Security of the Citizen. The Project Browser, Contribution to FP7 and Horizon 2020, Latest Events
Questions:
Which JRC projects are dedicated to security issues?
Open questions, past, current and future threats. The responsibilities of the Utilities, Policy Maker and Public. Current Projects, Academic research and Curricula. Need for more?
Questions:
Which are today’s challenges for Critical Infrastructure Protection and Resilience?
How can the research programs support Critical Infrastructure Protection and Resilience?