Vision

To share the importance of evidence-based policy making with all the stakeholders, including government officials, students, citizens and politicians, through various activities

Mission

To establish networks for, collect data on, develop methodology for analyzing data for, and provide training for making evidence-based science, technology and innovation (STI) policies.

To pursue the mission, the program:

1. (1) funds such projects that would ultimately contribute to forming the government STI policies [FUNDING];
2. (2) fosters future STI policy makers, researchers who analyze policies, and personnel to be involved or being involved in bridging STI and Society [TRAINING];
3. (3) maintains and develops outreach activities and networks [NETWORKING];
4. (4) forms and analyzes data and information [RESOURCES]; and
5. (5) conducts its own research projects [RESEARCH].

Background

The SciREX program was established by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) in 2011, based on a call for making evidence-based science, technology and innovation (STI) policies. The following factors helped to launch the program.

The development of science, technology and innovation these days is so fast and complex to catch up with, bearing many issues that cannot be solved with traditional value standards. To deal with this, we need to analyze the issues, discuss the solution with all concerned, and come up with evidence-based policies. To lead the efforts that view the issues with consistency and systematically, MEXT established the SciREX program.

The inauguration of SciSIP program in the U.S. in 2007 had already moved many Japanese science policymakers to call for establishing a similar program in Japan. At the same time, it was the world trend to use evidence-based data in making various policies.