Evaluation of the Mercator Science Policy Fellowship Programme

Exchange beyond “our own bubble”

With its "Mercator Science Policy Fellowship" (MSPF) programme, the Mercator Foundation enables leaders from politics, administration, the media and civil society to discuss social challenges with scientists* from various disciplines. The aim is to promote problem-oriented, cross-sectoral exchange and the development of trans-sectoral networks. The programme is run by the Rhine-Main Universities (Goethe University Frankfurt, TU Darmstadt and Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz) and coordinated by the office located in the Research and Young Scientists Department of the Goethe University. During its term from 01.01.2016 to 31.12.2020, a total of four one-year fellowship cohorts with approximately 20 - 25 fellows per year will be conducted.

The programme is run by the Rhine-Main Universities (Goethe University Frankfurt, TU Darmstadt and Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz) and coordinated by the office located in the Research and Young Scientists Department of the Goethe University. During its term from 01-01-2016 to 12-31-2020, a total of four one-year fellowship cohorts with approximately 20 to 25 fellows per year are conducted.

Evaluation of the achievement of objectives and impacts

The evaluation commissioned by Stiftung Mercator in the first half of 2019 is to draw a conclusion on the degree to which the objectives have been achieved and make recommendations for the continuation and expansion of the programme for the rest of the project period or for a continuation of the programme beyond that. In particular, it is intended to examine the extent to which the three central objectives have been achieved:

• The promotion of diverse networks and partnerships between people from science and the fields of politics, administration and civil society;
• The development of impulses for jointly addressing social challenges;
• Insights into each other's working environments and a better understanding of the logics and practices dominating them.

inter 3 coordinates the evaluation

The Evaluation Commission consists of Prof. Dr. Beate Söntgen (Leuphana University of Lüneburg), Dr. Thomas Grünewald (former State Secretary) and Dr. Susanne Schön (inter 3), who develops the evaluation concept and coordinates the evaluation.

The central elements of the evaluation are the analysis of numerous documents and the participation in programme events, interviews with fellows and scientists from different fields, discussions with the cooperation managers of the Rhine-Main Universities as well as with the programme office and the President of the Goethe University Frankfurt/Main.