Nicosia: The National Kick-off Event for Cyprus's involvement in the Technical Support Instrument Multi-Country Project on Evidence-Informed Policymaking by the European Commission was held on Tuesday at the Presidential Palace.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the project is spearheaded by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) and includes seven EU Member States: Spain, Austria, Ireland, Poland, Portugal, France, and Cyprus.
The initiative aims to foster a documented and coherent decision-making culture within public administration, grounded in data, analysis, and evaluation. Addressing the event, Deputy Minister to the President Irene Piki emphasized that integrating evidence into public policy design, implementation, and review is crucial for setting priorities and formulating policies for the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides.
The TSI project seeks to enhance the decision-making framework by strengthening skills, developing professional capacities for policymakers and scientists, improving cooperation mechanisms, and creating stronger links between policy and science. It involves practical tools such as trend analysis and scenario development (Foresight) to boost state preparedness.
The event saw participation from high-ranking officials of the European Commission, and representatives from Cypriot universities and research centers, as well as technocrats from the public service. The program featured roundtable discussions addressing challenges at the intersection of science and policy and the necessity for a governance model that places documentation at the heart of strategic planning.
This initiative aligns with Cyprus's Presidency of the Council of the EU, highlighting the country's commitment to contributing to European priorities aimed at enhancing the quality of public governance, as noted in the press release.