What should we study next?

Despite decades of investment in health research, the persistent gap between what we know and what is done in policy and practice remains a defining challenge. Knowledge translation (KT) and evidence-informed policy-making (EIP) have emerged as critical responses – the approach, and the goal, respectively – but research on KT and EIP has grown in fragmented and uneven ways.

By developing a research agenda – a framework defining evidence gaps and priorities for future research – we have an opportunity to bring greater visibility and coherence to KT and EIP research, focus attention on the areas of greatest need and opportunity, and mobilise the partnerships and resources required to strengthen the use of evidence in policy and practice.

A global effort to set priorities

The World Health Organization (WHO), together with over 130 experts from 38 countries, has developed a Global Research Agenda on Knowledge Translation and Evidence-informed Policy-making. The effort builds on longstanding work to strengthen evidence use in policy-making – including the contributions of Transforming Evidence Network co-founders Annette Boaz and Kathryn Oliver.

Co-created between 2023 and 2025, the process involved extensive consultation with researchers, knowledge brokers, civil society actors and policy-makers across regions and sectors. It combined evidence reviews, expert inputs, and structured prioritisation methods to identify research areas that are impactful, inclusive, feasible, and important to study.

For readers interested in the methodological detail, the process is described in full in our recent paper in Health Research Policy and Systems (preprint available here).

What did we find?

The agenda identifies 19 priority research areas spanning three key domains of KT and EIP: interventions; barriers, facilitators and opportunities; and methods, standards, measurements, theories and frameworks (see figure below).

Figure: Overview of the 19 priority research areas

These priorities reflect both enduring challenges and emerging needs. They highlight, for example:

• - the importance of embedding KT within systems rather than treating it as a set of standalone tools
• - the need for research that is responsive to diverse political, institutional, and social contexts
• - gaps in understanding how to evaluate the impacts of KT interventions, and in scaling and sustaining those that are effective
• - the continued importance of strengthening the relationships between evidence producers, intermediaries, and users.

The agenda offers a strategic direction for the field. It is designed as a living resource – one that can be adapted to local contexts and sustained through initiatives such as the Global Coalition for Evidence, as well as ongoing webinar series and knowledge-sharing platforms. It will help shape research strategies, guide funding decisions, and strengthen collaboration between interest holders engaged in KT and EIP research.

From agenda to action: what happens next?

Developing the agenda was only the first step. Its true value lies in how it is now used.

Encouragingly, we have already seen strong support from the global EIP and KT community. Researchers, funders, and knowledge brokers have rallied behind the agenda and expressed a clear commitment to advancing its priorities.

Building on this momentum, we see several immediate priorities for action:

1. Translating priorities into funded research
   The agenda is designed to inform future research and funding strategies. Initial steps are already being taken, with targeted funding launched through TDR – the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases – to support research aligned with the agenda. Scaling this further will require stronger alignment across funders.
2. Aligning investments and incentives
   Research funders and institutions play a critical role in shaping what research gets done. The agenda offers a concrete tool to help align investments with the most pressing and globally agreed priorities.
3. Contextualising the agenda
   Global priorities must be adapted to local realities. Encouragingly, this process is already underway – for example, recent work in Brazil has explored how the agenda can be tailored to national contexts.
4. Mobilising the KT and EIP community
   Researchers and knowledge brokers can use the agenda to guide their own work – whether in designing studies, building collaborations, or raising awareness about the importance of research on research use.

As highlighted in our recent commentary in the WHO Bulletin, advancing research on KT and EIP requires coordinated action across the entire evidence ecosystem.

A call to engage

If we are serious about strengthening the use of evidence in policy-making we need to be equally serious about what research we prioritise, and how we act on those priorities.

We invite you to:

• - use the agenda in your research and funding decisions
• - adapt it to your local or institutional context
• - share it with colleagues and partners
• - contribute to its ongoing implementation and evolution.

The Global Research Agenda is publicly available and free to use.

For more information or to engage further, please contact: [email protected]