Centre for Science, Knowledge and Policy
Welcome to SKAPE
The Centre for Science, Knowledge and Policy at Edinburgh (SKAPE) brings together academic researchers across a range of disciplines, as well as policy practitioners, to examine the relationships and intersections between different types of science and knowledges on policy. With a membership of over 130 academics and practitioners, SKAPE is committed to exploring and sharing ideas across universities, policy institutions and the wider public to improve the use of knowledge and evidence in democratic decision-making.
Research from SKAPE members covers a range of topics, including research on climate change, energy systems, migration policy, public health, environmental politics, education, international development, and more.
SKAPE Publications
Scoping Impact: An International Study of Contemporary Definitions and Conceptualisations of Impact by Funders of Social Science Research
In 2023, SKAPE was commissioned by the ESRC to carry out this international review. We are delighted to announce its publication by both the Innovation and Research Caucus and SKAPE.
You can read our blog piece on the publication and download a copy by clicking the button below.
Blogs, perspectives and opinion
Cultures of Evidence series 3: Research with social impact and the Spanish case
In this final delivery of our Cultures of Evidence series, Emilia Aiello and María Vieites discuss the Spanish transition towards social impact models and argue for the centrality of dialogue at the base of evidence-based policies
Cultures of Evidence series 2:The Normative Turn in Evidence and Policy From ‘Evidence Use’ to the ‘Good Governance of Evidence’
In this second delivery of our Cultures of Evidence series, Justin Parkhurst presents and discusses a framework for addressing the normative challenges of governing evidence within policy processes
Cultures of Evidence series 1: Comparing cultures of evidence use in policy settings
Niklas Andersen and Kat Smith discuss a 2022 SKAPE workshop about the ways in which knowledge and evidence are used in policymaking. Through the notion of “evidence cultures”, Kat and Niklas explore the issue further and pose thoughtful questions for further debate.