National Research Institute for Science Policy: An Introduction
What is taking place in National Research Institute for Science Policy (NRISP) is the same sort of activity that started in Iran in 1969 with the establishment of the Research and Scientific and Educational Planning Institute. Two years after the emergence of a new ministry named “Science and Higher Education” in the educational history of Iran, with the slogan of educational and research planning, the Research and Scientific and Educational Planning Institute began its activity as an independent organization with the intention of cooperation and consultation with the Ministry of Science. Within this institute, four distinct institutes under the titles of (1) educational planning, (2) science policy, (3) institute of library service, and (4) scientific documents carried out the research duties, and this structure was maintained until the Islamic Revolution. In 1991, the statute, Organizational Chart, and duty description of the “National Research Institute for science” were approved by the Ministry of Culture and Higher Education. This institute (initially), under the supervision of the Research Deputy of the Ministry of Culture and Higher Education of that time, started to work in five scientific groups called (1) Recognition and Measurement of Research, (2) Planning and Coordination of Research, (3) International Studies and Research, (4) Science Policy, and (5) Research of Publications.
During the Third Development Plan, newer macro tasks were delegated to the redesigned Ministry of “Science, Research, and Technology”; and the title of “policy” was also added to an institute which, today, is called “National Research Institute for Science Policy”. In 2004, with the establishment of the Supreme Council of Science, Research and Technology, the institute’s statute was changed and declared independent from the Research Deputy of the Science Ministry. Since then, the institute has played its role as the institute of thinking in policy research and policymaking of science, research, and technology at the national level and in a cross-sectoral form. Today, NRISP shoulders a heavier burden, due to its role as the institute of thinking in the fields of policy research, and politicization of science, research, and technology at the national level. Therefore, it has rearranged its missions and reorganized its scientific groups to fulfill its obligations and satisfy the needs defined by the Supreme Council of Science, Research and Technology and the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology.
In this institute, all the activities, from component-driven policymaking in the defined framework of science and research to macroscopic and comprehensive research policy for the development of technology and innovation; from economic studies for cost optimization to ethical and philosophical thinking in the social and human aspects of science, technology, and innovation; from a farsighted study for capturing uncertain futures to selecting the right tools to evaluate decisions, policies, and scientific and technological achievements, have been done to play a highly effective role in the realm of science, technology, and innovation of the country. Six scientific-research groups, under the titles of (1) Policy evaluation and Monitoring of Science, Technology, and Innovation, (2) Financing and Economics of Science, Technology, and Innovation, (3) Science and Research Policy, (4) Technology and Innovation Policy, (5) Futures Studies of Science and Technology and (6) Theoretical Studies of Science, Technology, and Innovation, are organized together to achieve the goals of the institute.
© Copyright 2022 National Research Institute for Science Policy. All Right Reserved.