Science Policy Forum (SPF) is an open independent collaborative platform that aims to facilitate stakeholder engagement in science, technology and innovation policy (STIP). SPF aims to strengthen science policy linkages and act as a channel for dialogue, outreach and capacity development. SPF’s key themes include
- Emerging Technologies,
- Equity and Inclusion,
- Governance and Regulation,
- Resources and Capacity Development,
- Science Diplomacy
- Sectoral Focus (Agriculture, Water, Health, Energy etc.).
SPF brings together a community of policy makers, practitioners, experts, young scholars and enthusiasts across disciplines.,It generates engaging content in various formats (articles, opinion pieces, webinars, interviews and podcasts), and features relevant resources, opportunities and a discussion space for STIP in India.
Genesis
The idea behind SPF has a modest beginning from September 2018. It started as a physical weekly ‘science-policy’ discussion forum – anchored at DST-Centre for Policy Research at Indian Institute of Science Bangalore – bringing together scholars and students from various Bangalore-based institutions such as TIFR-NCBS, ICTS, IIMB, NLSIU, APU, etc.
Mid-2019, Lakshmi from IndiaBioScience (NCBS), Aditya from Sustainable Water Futures Programme, and Chagun from DST-Center for Policy Research (IISc) came together to give a digital identity to the forum, and launched a webinar and article series. During this period the forum was hosted and supported by IndiaBioscience.
In May 2020, the forum gained its new independent digital identity as a standalone portal.