The OECD STI Policy 2025 initiative
Enabling transitions through STI
23 December 2021

40th SciREX Seminar

Michael Keenan, Senior Analyst, S&T Policy 2025 project lead, OECDmichael.keenan@oecd.org

Overview
q Context: trends, drivers and the normative turn in STI policy
q S&T Policy 2025: objectives and approach§ STI challenge roadmaps§ Other project activities and deliverables§ Foundational background reports§ Sectoral outreach activities§ Policy dialogues

q Next steps and the way ahead

CONTEXT AND PROJECT OUTLINELong-term trends and drivers (+ disruptors)
q Demographic changeq Rise of China
q Climate changeq Biodiversity loss
q Digitalisation and automation
q Financialisation and asset economies
q Productivity growth slowdown
q Growing inequalityq ...

Normative goals for STI policyq A ‘normative turn’ in STI policy has been
apparent now for more than a decadeq Evident in strategies and some policies
q Accelerating => profound, widespread
impacts of Covid and climate change +their growing urgency
q The scale and urgency of reform to meetthese normative goals call for anambitious, wide-ranging, disruptive andvisionary policy agenda
q But what to do? And how to do it?

Security

Inclusion

Prosperity
NORMATIVE
GOALS

Resilience

Sustainability

Concerns like these are evident in Japanese
STI policyq Context: megatrends, Covid impacts, net zero targets, circular
economy aspirations, and decentralised society – the need toformulate a mobilising vision for 2030
q Society 5.0 core concept
q High risk, high reward research, open science, HEI reformq Pursuit of sectoral strategies, e.g. through PPPs§

Ecosystems for nurturing start-ups and collaborations, embedded in cities andregions, but also for addressing global challenges – implies an holistic, systemic
perspective that also considers, for example, the demand side, the skills andcapabilities for co-creation, etc.

q Upstream consideration of ethical, legal and social implications (ELSI)
that take into account wide-ranging and complex social issues
§
§
§
§
§

Diversity and values
Evidence base, incl. DSIP, foresight, evaluation, indicators
Mission-oriented innovation policies
Strategies and institutions to instill flexibility to adapt as the context changes
Convergence of knowledge including the humanities and social sciences

q Strengthen command and control function to eliminate policy
duplication and promote collaboration

Covid-19: a window of opportunity for reforms?

Multi-level transitions that raise important
STI policy questions
Socio-technicalsystems

STI systems

STI policy &governance

Strategic
intelligence

1. Socio-technical transitions of large-scale systems, such as energy,
mobility, food, heavy industry, etc.: How to position STI and STI policyin government-wide discourses, strategies and initiatives that
address sustainability transitions and resilience?
2. STI system transitions: How to influence the STI priorities andpractices of firms and the public research system, who need to adapt
to meet the challenges of sustainability transitions and resilience?
3. Transitions in STI policy and governance arrangements: How to adapt
STI policy priorities and practices to meet the challenges ofsustainability transitions and resilience, particularly with respect totheir rationales, objectives, instruments and the groups they target?
4. Transitions in the provision and use of strategic intelligence: How todevelop the knowledge base, frameworks, institutions, learning
networks, and capabilities to inform and deliver an STI policy that
contributes to sustainability transitions and resilience?

Objectives
q Develop a vision and practical guidance that help policymakers reorient STI systems towards addressing
global challenges, building on lessons from the successful COVID-19 response
q Help raise the profile of STI within other policy domains, with a view to breaking down silos and promoting
cross-government cooperation on sustainability transitions
q Better link national STI reform agendas with the need to step up multilateral cooperation on sustainability
transitions, given their scale and global nature

Deliverables
q Reference roadmaps with short-term (2025) stretch targets that suggest appropriate policy steps andsequences in pursuit of STI-enabled transition pathways
q Background papers and policy dialogues that offer practical guidance and analytical support to policymakers
engaged in transitions
q Multilateral action-oriented vision – possibly in the form of an OECD Declaration – that encapsulates anaction plan for reorienting STI policy over the next decade. More speculatively, this could be endorsed by a
CSTP ministerial meeting, which could be organised in 2023-24, depending on country interestFuture STI policy – what directions and by
what means?
q Main assumption: there exist gaps between
current STI policy and governancearrangements and those required for transitions
q Bridging these gaps will require a range ofreforms, including

MULTIPLE PATHWAYS POSSIBLE

SUB-SYSTEMFOR REFORM

DESIRED FUTURE
OUTCOME

Enabling transitions through science, technology and innovation§ the sorts of problems policies seek to solve
2025 Stretch§ the groups and activities targeted by policy
Targetinterventions
20 October 2021, 12:00-16:30 Paris time
§ the mix and design of policy instruments
Why 2025? If STI is to contribute to socio-technicalthat are usedtransitions over the long-term, the STI policy reformq All aspects of STI policy and governance are
implicated, including funding, human resources,
infrastructures, coordination mechanisms, andmeasurement
Alessandra Colecchia, STI/STP

process must start now. Over the coming few years,
specific measures should be put in place to ensure STI
policy is on track to make these contributions. The projectseeks to determine what these measures should be andwhat could be achieved by 2025 through an ambitious
policy agenda.

Main project elements
1. STI challenge roadmaps
These outline sequences of actions and developments along
a fixed timeline, with an intermediate 2025 stretch target.
They focus on a specific challenges, e.g. co-creation,technology governance, STI careers, etc.

2. Background foundational papers
These provide insights on the state-of-the-art on selected
practices used in the project, e.g. roadmapping, and on
specific issues that are central to STI policy contributions totransition, e.g. multilateralism, cross-govt coordination, etc.

4. Policy dialogues
These workshops inform theproduction of roadmaps andbackground papers, and are acore tool for outreach activities
with other policy domains.

3. Cross-government outreach activities
Socio-technical transitions are cross-sectoral and cross-govt,
so STI policy should develop stronger links with other policy
domains. The project includes efforts to promote dialogue
and coordination between STI and sectoral policy domains.

Builds on the work of the OECD CSTP
and its working parties

Committee for
Scientific andTechnological Policy

Working Party on
Technology andInnovation Policy

Working Party on Bio
Nano and Converging
Technologies

Global Science
Forum

Biennial work programmes
2021-222023-24

National Experts on
Scientific andTechnological
Indicators

1. STI CHALLENGE ROADMAPSDeveloping STI policy challenge roadmaps• Transition pathways call attention to policy steps and sequences
for reaching desirable outcomes• The S&T Policy 2025 project could generate a series of ‘reference’roadmaps that outline sequences of actions and developments
along a fixed timeline, with a 2025 stretch target• Since STI policy is broad and complex, it makes sense to develop
roadmaps for specific policy challenges• These can be thought of as ‘entry points’ for mapping thecomprehensive range of STI policy reforms needed for transitions• Choices need to be made on which challenges to focus on, given
finite resources, and on where to draw boundaries• The project will focus on policy challenges where countries are insearch of mutual learning and practical guidanceCommon elements in roadmaps
q Desirable outcomes that are embedded in a long-term
vision within a defined time horizon (typically 2030-2040,
depending on the STI challenge).
q Profiles of the main actors implicated in meeting the STI
challenge, including policy makers and analysts.
q Past, present and future trajectories of the key activities
Enabling transitions through science, technology and innovation
implicated in the STI challenge and the framework
conditions that shape them.
q Past, present and future policy interventions
that influence
20 October 2021, 12:00-16:30 Paris timethese key activities and their framework conditions.
q Short-term ‘stretch targets’, e.g. for 2025, that should be
both challenging and feasible to achieve, with roles assigned
to specific actors, and necessary resources / conditions
indicated.
q A frameworkof indicators, both quantitative andAlessandra
Colecchia, STI/STP

qualitative, to monitor progress along transition pathways.

Source: Phaal (2010)Challenges in mapping transition pathways
q Transitions rarely follow smooth
trajectories but proceed unevenly,
which should be taken into accountwhen developing roadmaps

q Transition pathways should be informedby ‘theories of change’ that identify‘leverage points’ for intervention
q Roadmaps incorporate multiple layersthat should bundle interrelated issues,
actors and policies, and articulate thelinks between themq Roadmaps should help reveal trade-offs
and policy dilemmas, and help highlight
opportunities for policy experimentationq Roadmaps should not over-simplify what
are complex systems and dynamics andnor should they give a sense of topdown control
q At the same time, roadmaps areheuristics and should not confuse andoverwhelm the intended user withparalyzing complexity

Roadmapping process

Desk research toprepare protoroadmap

I. OECD Secretariat uses a desk-based
approach that draws on existing (OECDand other) data and analysis to develop
draft STI challenge roadmaps

Consultation anddeliberation on
proto-roadmap

II. Consultation and deliberation ondraft roadmaps, involving delegates andother experts, which could be done (inpart at least) through dedicated policy
dialogues

Publication ofreferenceroadmap

III. The revised STI challenge
roadmaps, which will include
stretch targets for 2025, would
then be published and shared forcountries to use

While several draft roadmaps could be assembled in 2022 on the basis of desk research, the full process to revised,published versions will need to be piloted. It is proposed to implement the full three-stage process for two STI challenge
roadmaps in 2022 as a pilot and to cover the remainder during 2023

Roadmaps assemblage >>> S&T Policy 2025
agendaq Roadmaps will be designed foruse and adaptation in countries
q Process could offer a test-bed forusing these techniques incountries
q Assembling roadmaps >>> holistic
vision and action plan for the STI
policy fieldq Combining challenge roadmaps
will also highlight common
tendencies and factors that
underlie many challenges in the
STI policy domain, and help
reveal leverage points

Research Careers

2025
StretchTarget2025
StretchTargetS&T Policy
2025

Technology
Governance

2025
StretchTargetCo-creation

2. FOUNDATIONAL PAPERS
3. CROSS-GOVERNMENT OUTREACH
4. POLICY DIALOGUESReview of practical policy tools
for mapping transition pathways

Review of practical policy
tools for mapping STI system
dynamics

How to map
transition pathways
using roadmaps?

How to map
existing systems
and appreciate
their dynamics?

Review of STI crosssectoral interfaces fortransitions

Review of STI
multilateralism fortransitions

Mapping of and guide tonovel foresight practices

How can crossgovernment links beharnessed for transitions?

How can international
links be harnessed fortransitions?

How to define
shared, desirable
future outcomes?

SUB-SYSTEMFOR REFORM
How to develop
practices andcapabilities ingovernments toenable transitions?
Review of emerging policy
practices, new capabilities, andnew organisations for transitions

What future
developments
should be taken
into account?

MULTIPLE PATHWAYS POSSIBLE

DESIRED FUTURE
OUTCOME
2025 Stretch
Target

How to develop thestrategic intelligence toenable transitions?

Report on strategic intelligence fortransitions – new practices, institutions,infrastructures and capabilities?

Megatrends report anddatabase

How to balancedifferent values
and goals for the
future?
New measurement
agendaReport on synergies andtensions among the multiple
goals for STI policy

Foundational papers:
tentative list and timetable• Cover a range of topics to aid project
thinking and processes• Production will be staggered over next
18 months (sooner would be better!)• Co-produced by S&T Policy 2025 team,working parties, and external experts• Drafts discussed at dedicated policy
dialogues• Several will be the basis for OECD STI
Outlook chapters

Mapping of and guide to novel
foresight practices

Q4 2021

Review of practical policy
tools for mapping transition
pathways

Q1 2022

Report on strategic
intelligence for transitions –new practices, institutions,infrastructures andcapabilities?
Review of STI cross-sectoralinterfaces for transitions

Q2 2022

Q4 2022

Q1 2023

Ongoing / continuous preparation

Extended scoping report on
S&T Policy 2025 concept andhow it could be implemented

New measurement
agenda

Review of STI multilateralism
for transitions

Q2 2023

Megatrends report anddatabase
Review of practical policy
tools for mapping STI
system dynamics

Report on synergies andtensions among themultiple goals for STI
policyReview of emerging
policy practices, newcapabilities, and neworganisations fortransitions

Cross-government coordination in support oftransitions• Socio-technical transitions require greater
cross-government cooperation• Efforts to promote cross-government STI
linkages are not new, nor are complaints
about their inadequacies• We need to move from the general to thespecifics of coordination challenges• One approach: identify specific issues ofcommon interest and broker discussions
within the OECD, e.g. by• organising policy dialogues between STI and
sector domain policy communities• leveraging data infrastructures, such as STIP
Compass, e.g. net zero portal,* or conducting
joint projects to help establish long-lasting links

Health[ELS]Energy[IEA, NEA]

Mobility
[ITF]

Food
[TAD]

Overseas
Aid[DCD]

Biodiversity

Oceans[ENV][STI, ENV]

Cities

Shipbuilding

[CFE]

[STI]

Public
admin
[GOV]

STI
Policy

Steel
[STI]

*The net zero portal is a collaboration between the EC, IEA and OECDhttps://stip.oecd.org/stip/net-zero-portal

Policy dialogues – three main types
q Background foundational papers:§ Exchange on current practices§ Dialogue with experts and practitioners

q STI policy challenge roadmaps:

Formatq Virtual, 3-4 hours eachq Variation depending on type
Enabling
transitions
throughproject
science, technology and innovation and focus
Likely led by a working
party
or CSTP§§ Structured around discussions of draft roadmap

q Exchange, sense-making

q Cross-government outreach:
20 October 2021, 12:00-16:30 Paris time
§ Dialogue between two or more policy domain areas§ Focus on various, but specific, coordination
challenges

The condition for organising any type of policy dialogue is that there
AlessandraisColecchia,
new dataSTI/STP
and/or analysis for discussion available in advance,
typically in a draft report

Planned in 2022
q 4 foundational papers
q 2 pilot roadmaps
q 1 cross-government
outreach: net zero portal

SUMMARY AND NEXT STEPSProject overview

Background foundational papers
Mapping of and guide to novel
foresight practices

Q4 2021

Review of practical policy
tools for mapping transition
pathways

Q1 2022

Report on strategic
intelligence for transitions –new practices, institutions,infrastructures andcapabilities?
Review of STI cross-sectoralinterfaces for transitions

Review of STI multilateralism
for transitions

Q2 2022

Q4 2022

Q1 2023

Q2 2023

STI challenge roadmaps
Cross-govt outreach
Megatrends report anddatabase
Review of practical policy
tools for mapping STI
system dynamics

Report on synergies andtensions among themultiple goals for STI
policyReview of emerging
policy practices, newcapabilities, and neworganisations fortransitions

Challengebased
funding

Cross-govt
co-ordCocreation

Technology
governanceOpen data

Multilateralism

Open andequitable
STI careers

Strategic
intelligence

Longer-term outputs
Newmeasurement
agendaNew template /framework for
conducting country
reviews
OECD Declarationthat encapsulates avision and action? plan for STI policy
over the next
decade or so
Ministerial? meeting2023-24

Policy dialogues

Moving forward
q The S&T Policy 2025 concept and project continue to evolveq A soft coordination mechanism to promote and align activities that help join the dots
around a mobilising collective vision
q There is need to intensify discussions over the next few months on what challenge
roadmaps to develop (and how); and what cross-domain outreach opportunities toactively pursue
q Member countries will play critical roles in scoping and supporting these activities, their
20 October 2021, 12:00-16:30 Paris time
outputs, and their impacts, e.g.
§ Japanese participation in project Steering Group and Advisory Board§ Japan’s representatives in the CSTP and its working parties, which will contribute to the projectq How else to become involved?
§ Support specific foundational papers, roadmaps, policy dialogues§ Test the translation / adaptation of the project’s reference roadmaps into country specific roadmaps§ Test a new framework for conducting country reviews

THANK YOU!
For more information, check out the S&T Policy 2025 website:

https://www.oecd.org/sti/inno/stpolicy2025