The Role of Academic International Affairs Institutes in the Public Policy Landscape

How can academic international affairs institutions contribute to the foreign policy sphere and have a greater effect on the policy making efforts of government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and international institutions? This paper derives conclusions from a series of conversations that occurred during the Perry World House Experts’ Meeting held in February 2015 at the University of Pennsylvania. It builds on extensive research and dialogue on the divide between academia and policy.

First, the paper introduces the Global Innovations Institute at Perry World House, the reason for which the University of Pennsylvania initiated a conversation on the role of academic international affairs institutes in the foreign policy process. The paper then provides a brief overview of the causes and consequences of this divide based on research that has been done up to this point. The Key Takeaways section is the heart of the paper, presenting critical points that emerged in the meeting for consideration moving forward. These include the following recommendations: engaging new audiences; understanding the importance of time horizons in academic research; identifying effective features of academic international affairs institutes; and reflecting on outputs that influence the policy making process. The paper concludes with final thoughts on how academia can best catalyze these different processes and policy innovation moving forward.

Read the full paper here.