Creating impact beyond knowledge production

Effective research and innovation projects increasingly require more than the production of knowledge. They must ensure that results generate tangible societal, economic, and policy impact.

Across EU-funded initiatives, this is achieved through a combination of dissemination, exploitation, and evidence-based policy engagement. A key instrument bridging research and policy is the policy brief, which translates complex findings into concise, actionable recommendations tailored to specific policy contexts and audiences. Dissemination enables the targeted transfer of knowledge to relevant stakeholders, while exploitation focuses on transforming research outcomes into practical applications, products, or services. At the same time, sharing scientific evidence with policymakers is essential to inform legislative processes, policy design, and public decision-making, ensuring that policies are grounded in robust and timely research.

Together, these approaches reflect a broader shift in EU research governance toward impact-oriented knowledge valorisation, where scientific outputs are not only generated but actively mobilised to address real-world challenges and support evidence-informed policymaking.

The following three publications of the European Research Executive Agency offer practical guides designed to help projects communicate, disseminate, and exploit their scientific results more effectively, ensuring that their work reaches policymakers and drives impact within the economy.