Scottish Government Social Research Five Year Plan 2026-31 Summary Edition

Goal 1: Social research will shape important government decisions

Government works best when evidence is involved early, used well, and understood in context. Over the next five years, social researchers will strengthen their role in the decisions that matter most. We want to be consistently ‘at the table’: helping to frame problems, testing assumptions, identifying options and improving delivery. That means influencing strategy as well as supporting day-to-day policy work.

This matters even more now because digital tools and AI create opportunities to support research tasks, but it also raises the risk that evidence is used without enough scrutiny or context. Social researchers bring professional judgement, methodological rigour and an understanding of how evidence should be interpreted. We can help ensure decisions are informed by insight rather than noise.

We also need to strengthen trust in how evidence is used. In a more contested public environment, research cannot sit quietly in the background. People should be able to see that government decisions are informed by careful, transparent and fair processes. That means improving how we explain research, how we publish findings, and how we engage with external partners and the public.

The profession already has a strong track record of promoting evidence-informed policy making, including through events and partnerships that bring research into wider public discussion. We will build on that work so that social research is visible both inside and outside of government.

A stronger role in decision making also depends on relationships. Good evidence is not only well produced, it is well commissioned, discussed and used at the right moment. Social researchers will continue to work closely with policy teams, analytical colleagues, academics and other partners so that evidence questions are sharper and the route from research to action is clearer. Delivering our ambitions will require a collective focus on how we bring evidence into decision making in a sustainable way so that we improve outcomes for the people of Scotland.

This goal is ultimately about confidence in evidence-informed policy making. Ministers and officials should have confidence that the evidence they are using is robust. Partners should have confidence that government is open to expertise and challenge. The public should have confidence that important decisions are informed by more than headlines, assumptions or short-term pressures.

What we will do

• Strengthen the contribution of senior researchers to major corporate processes, including strategy, delivery planning, budgets, spending decisions and performance frameworks.
• Champion evidence-informed policy making across government through practical guidance, learning offers and communities of practice.
• Expand partnerships with funders, universities, commercial and community-based researchers so that policy teams can draw on a broader range of expertise and methods.
• Use fellowships, internships and other exchange routes to bring external expertise into government and connect government priorities to the wider research landscape.
• Improve training and support for evaluation and evidence use so that staff across professions understand how to use research well and when to seek specialist advice.
• Increase transparency by publishing research clearly, applying open research principles where appropriate, and communicating findings in ways that are accessible to wider audiences.
• Engage more actively with academics, civil society and the public to support evidence-informed debate and build confidence in government research.