Mission-driven research programs: Lessons for challenge-driven innovation policy

In a Message to Parliament in 2020, the Rathenau Instituut advocated for challenge-driven innovation policy, an approach that does not seek to promote specific technologies or sectors, but rather takes a societal challenge as its starting point. The Rathenau Instituut produced this report to contribute to the ongoing development of this new type of challenge-driven innovation policy. It focuses on research programs that aim to help address societal challenges. 
Based on scientific literature and the analysis of three international case studies, they formulate some points of focus for organizing this type of research program.
The proposal argues that public engagement makes sense when it contributes to the democratization of knowledge development.
Democratization means changing the (power) relationship between knowledge producers and different groups in society, in favor of the latter. This implies:
1. Accessibility: How high are the barriers to participating in research and research agendas?
2. Inclusion: Are all stakeholders involved?
3. Participation: To what extent do external stakeholders determine the role they play and the contribution they make to public research?

Download the full report from the following site: https://www.rathenau.nl/en/mobilising-power-innovation-meet-societal-challenges/research-programmes-mission