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Presentation

Our event is part of a three-day celebration scheduled for 3-5 November 2025, with events open to the public. 

Over the past decade, evidence-informed policymaking has gained prominence across Europe, supported by a flourishing ecosystem of national and international science advice structures, networks, and practices that inform policymakers at every level of governance. In this context, a vibrant community of practice—encompassing academies of sciences and other key stakeholders—has steadily emerged and expanded, exchanging and developing perspectives on challenges and best practices to effectively inform policy.

Integrity is fundamental to the conduct of science and the provision of scientific advice, serving as the cornerstone of trustworthiness and the foundation for fostering public trust in science. Without integrity, neither science nor science advice can be considered reliable or credible. Upholding integrity in scientific advice ensures that the process is transparent, unbiased, and dependable, thereby enabling policymakers to base their decisions on sound and trustworthy evidence.

This half-day event, organised by ALLEA –the European Federation of Academies of Sciences and Humanities–, will explore the essential principles that sustain integrity and address the challenges involved in maintaining it at the science-policy interface. It will ask what it means to uphold integrity in real-world advisory settings, how it is challenged under pressure, and what academies can do to protect and promote it, both within their own practices and in the broader science-policy interface.

Bringing together academy members, science advisors, policymakers, and early-career researchers, the event will offer both reflective space and practical exchange, inviting participants to share experiences and co-develop concrete steps to support integrity in science advice.

Programme:
14:00 – 14:15 - Welcome and Opening
14:15 – 14:30 - Keynote
14:30 – 15:50 - Panel Discussion: "Integrity in Scientific Advice – Core Principles and Challenges"
15:50 – 16:10 - Coffee/Networking Break
16:10 – 17:00 - Breakout Discussions: Integrity in Practice
17:00 – 17:45 - Plenary: Sharing Reflections and Ideas
17:45 – 18:00 - Next Steps and Closing Remarks (ALLEA–SAPEA)

Breakout sessions:

Each breakout will focus on one theme that will have been discussed in the panel discussion:

1. How the use of AI tools in the science-for-policy process can uphold, rather than undermine, integrity and public trust. How can we ensure transparency, fairness, and accountability when using technologies that often function as opaque ‘black boxes’?
2. How policymakers can safeguard trustworthy scientific advice amidst global pressures on academic freedom. When researchers face political interference or institutional constraints, how does this affect the quality and diversity of evidence that reaches decision-makers?
3. The role of policymakers as consumers of evidence. What responsibilities do they bear in ensuring integrity when applying scientific findings to real-world decisions? How can they avoid cherry-picking while remaining transparent under political pressures?
4. The challenge of conveying trustworthiness in an increasingly cynical world. How can we communicate integrity and credibility when misinformation and polarised narratives dominate public discourse?

More information: The 200th anniversary celebrations of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.