Contextualized and Adapted, Scientific Research Can be a Lever for Effective Public Policies and a More Efficient Administration
The Press — To what extent can scientific research contribute to the strengthening and evaluation of public policies? This question was recently debated during the second edition of "Parlons Éco", the annual event of "Savoirs Éco", a project funded by the European Union and implemented by "Expertise France".
Improving the Visibility of Scientific Production
Placed under the theme "What to Expect from Research to Inform Public Action?", the 2025 edition of "Parlons Éco" highlighted the important role that scientific research can play in strengthening public policies. Mohamed Heni El Kadri, Director General of Cooperation with the European Union at the Ministry of Economy and Planning, specified that the project's activities were carried out thanks to the respect of the foundations of effective international cooperation and alignment with national priorities.
He recalled that the "Savoirs Éco" project, which has two main objectives, namely strengthening economic knowledge-producing structures (Spse) and disseminating the knowledge produced by these structures, has so far supported 22 structures, set up a platform for disseminating economic issues, called "éco-tous", and undertaken several actions to improve the visibility of scientific production. Emphasizing the relevance of the themes discussed during the day, particularly governance and sustainability evaluation, the official called for a more effective mobilization of the knowledge produced to serve public policies and a modern and efficient administration.
Evaluating, Rationalizing, and Adjusting
A roundtable bringing together economists also took place. The speakers presented reflection paths on the modalities of using scientific research to evaluate public policies, as well as to fuel public debate on economic issues. Sami Boussida, Director of the Department of Economic Studies at the Center for Economic and Social Studies and Business Competitiveness of Tunisia (Itceq), explained that the evaluation of public policies aims to rationalize public action and therefore adjust existing policies to improve their effectiveness.
This evaluation, which touches on several dimensions, must respect a set of criteria and indicators, such as the initially set objectives, the results obtained, and the impacts generated. It is essential to determine, for example, whether the implementation costs have been controlled, whether there are collateral impacts, or whether the set objectives have been achieved. "This evaluation exercise is crucial, as it serves as a decision-making tool for decision-makers," he emphasized.
Perfecting Public Policies
Starting from the fact that the evaluation of public policies remains a discipline that is still insufficiently developed, while the audit remains an excellent tool for calculation and quantification, Itceq has developed a manual defining the rules of the game: an evaluation guide based on defined criteria such as the identification of the parties involved or the existence of an accompanying committee.
For his part, Skander Sallemi, a tax expert and former president of the Tunisian Association for Fiscal Governance (Atgf), indicated that scientific research makes it possible to help stakeholders understand the functioning of economic and social phenomena, as well as to perfect public policies thanks to more effective programs and decisions.
