WHO and University of Antioquia Launch Global Map to Strengthen Science Advisory Systems

The World Health Organization (WHO), in partnership with the University of Antioquia’s Unit of Evidence and Deliberation for Decision Making (UNED), has taken a major step toward improving the use of scientific evidence in policy-making. On 14 August 2025, WHO and UNED convened an international panel of experts to advance the development of a global Evidence and Gap Map (EGM) on science advisory systems — a pioneering tool designed to help governments assess, strengthen, and institutionalize science advice mechanisms for public health and sustainable development.

The consultation forms part of WHO’s broader initiative to support Member States in building national science advisory systems that not only guide public health decisions but also contribute to economic growth and social well-being. As the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated, robust and transparent science advisory structures are critical to ensuring evidence-based decision-making, maintaining public trust, and responding effectively to complex health and societal challenges.

“Efforts to strengthen national systems for using evidence are still relatively new,” WHO noted in its statement. “But the field is expanding rapidly, with many innovative tools now emerging. This EGM aims to bring them together into one global reference point.”

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Building a Global Resource for Evidence-Informed Decision-Making

The Evidence and Gap Map (EGM) is a comprehensive resource that provides governments, research institutions, and policy-makers with an overview of existing tools, frameworks, and best practices for designing and evaluating national science advisory systems. It identifies not only where robust guidance exists but also where significant knowledge gaps remain.

Developed by UNED under WHO’s guidance, the EGM builds on WHO’s long-standing Evidence-Informed Policy Network (EVIPNet) — an initiative that has been helping countries for nearly two decades to embed evidence use into health policy-making. The EGM expands this legacy by offering a cross-sectoral, global perspective on how science advice is organized, delivered, and used in decision processes across governments.

The map integrates a range of WHO resources, including:

• The WHO Checklist for Institutionalizing Evidence-Informed Policy-making,

• The EVIPNet Situation Analysis Manual, and

• Other tools developed under WHO’s Science Division and Research for Health frameworks.

By consolidating this information, the EGM provides an interactive platform that helps users visualize the global landscape of science advisory tools, understand patterns of evidence use, and identify areas where investment or innovation is needed.

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Expert Consultation: Refining the Framework

The August 2025 consultation brought together leading figures in public health, science governance, evidence synthesis, and policy design. Participants hailed from WHO’s regional offices, academic institutions, national health ministries, and research networks.

Experts praised the EGM for its rigour, inclusiveness, and methodological depth, describing it as one of the most comprehensive efforts yet to map the global ecosystem of science advisory systems. They provided input on:

• Contextual adaptability — ensuring the map remains relevant across diverse political, cultural, and economic settings;

• Accessibility — recommending simplified versions and translations for broader governmental use;

• Implementation guidance — proposing companion tools that translate findings into practical action plans for policymakers; and

• Integration across sectors — emphasizing the importance of linking science advice not just to health, but also to education, environment, and innovation policies.

“This initiative has the potential to transform how countries think about science advice,” one participant remarked. “It gives governments a mirror — a way to see where they stand, where the gaps are, and what they can do to strengthen their evidence ecosystem.”

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Strengthening National Science Advisory Systems

The WHO–UNED collaboration reflects a growing recognition that evidence use is a cornerstone of good governance. Science advisory systems help governments make transparent, accountable, and effective decisions — particularly during crises such as pandemics, natural disasters, or economic shocks.

However, as WHO’s analysis indicates, institutional capacity for science advice remains uneven across countries. Many governments lack formal mechanisms for linking research to policy, while others struggle to coordinate inputs from academia, civil society, and government agencies.

The EGM seeks to address these challenges by offering:

• A global directory of existing science advisory structures,

• Analytical frameworks for evaluating their effectiveness,

• Evidence on what works and what doesn’t in different governance contexts, and

• Tools for capacity-building and institutional learning.

By bridging the divide between research and policy, the EGM aims to empower countries to strengthen resilience, enhance policy coherence, and accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

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A Roadmap for the Future

Following the consultation, WHO and UNED will continue to refine the Evidence and Gap Map, incorporating expert feedback and expanding coverage across more countries and sectors. The final version of the EGM will be made publicly accessible and continuously updated as new research and resources emerge.

Once completed, the EGM will serve as a living global resource — enabling Member States to benchmark their systems, share best practices, and collaborate on strengthening science advisory capacities worldwide.

“Our goal is to make the EGM a practical tool that any country, regardless of income or capacity, can use to assess its system and take concrete steps toward improvement,” said a WHO official. “Evidence is not a luxury — it is a necessity for good governance.”

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Toward a More Evidence-Informed World

The creation of the EGM represents a major milestone in WHO’s broader effort to institutionalize evidence use across public sectors. It is part of an emerging movement toward evidence-informed decision-making — one that integrates scientific research, ethical considerations, and public values to create more responsive and effective policies.

As the world faces increasingly complex health and development challenges — from pandemics to climate change — WHO’s initiative underscores the need for strong, credible, and connected science advisory systems capable of translating knowledge into impact.

With the EGM, WHO and UNED are laying the groundwork for a future where every government can harness the power of evidence to build healthier, fairer, and more resilient societies.