The International Public Policy Observatory finds, distils and shares the best global evidence for policy practice across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Latest Articles

1. 

   Delivering Data-Led Local Policy

   February 20, 2026

   • and Veronica-Nicholle Hera

   • Ayden mckeating

   • Bonnie Buyuklieva

   • Jeremy Williams

   • Maria Wood

   • Martin Gozzi

   • Selin Zileli

   Bonnie Buyuklieva, Jeremy Williams, Selin Zileli, Maria Wood, Martin Gozzi, Veronica-Nicholle Hera, Ayden McKeating and Sarah Chaytor Local authorities across the UK hold data that could materially improve public services, from planning for net zero to supporting families early and understanding how local labour markets are changing. Yet much of this intelligence remains hard to use in practice. Data is often held in silos, stored in inconsistent formats, and governed for caution rather than collaboration. The result is lost time, duplicated effort, and few opportunities to act timely and impactfully. Delivering Data-Led...

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2. 

   Evaluation of IPPO’S Impact

   December 22, 2024

   • Amanda-Leigh O’Connell

   • Rebecca Hanlin

   Rebecca Hanlin, Amanda-Leigh O’Connell  The International Public Policy Observatory (IPPO) was launched in 2020 with an overarching aim to enable access to and use of evidence and knowledge to mitigate the social harms of COVID-19. It was focused on achieving this aim through:  An evaluation of its first two years of operations—during the COVID-19 pandemic— found that the Observatory developed a range of mechanisms and networks that enabled it to fill critical gaps in demand for evidence and stimulate demand and use for that evidence.  IPPO received a second round of funding...

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3. 

   Integrating International Expertise into Domestic Policymaking: Insights from Global Science Advice Systems

   December 17, 2024

   • Jean-Christophe Mauduit

   • Kristiann Allen

   • Sarah Bebb

   • Vidhi Sharma

   Jean-Christophe Mauduit, Kristiann Allen, Vidhi Sharma, Sarah Bebb In an era marked by increasingly complex global challenges, from climate change and public health crises to technological disruptions, effective policymaking requires access to relevant expertise and the integration of the best available knowledge. At the national level, a well-established science advisory system and robust science-policy interfaces are critical. However, as the best knowledge and expertise available may reside beyond national boundaries, the national science advice ecosystem also needs to have strong international connections.  The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the varying effectiveness of different countries’...

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