On the 8th of February 2024, the Council of Ministers approved the launch of two new programmes from 2024 to 2031: the P4Science Programme and the S4Policy Programme, implemented under the responsibility of the Federal Science Policy Office (BELSPO).
The S4Policy Programme will support decision-making by the Federal Government and the Federal Public Services (FPSs) based on scientific knowledge. The programme will provide a range of tools to provide evidence-informed policy making.
The aim of the S4Policy Programme is to carry out cross-thematic research into societal issues that are among the priorities of the Federal Public Services (FPSs) and the Federal Government, including research in the domain of HASS (Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences).
There are three different types of projects in the S4Policy Programme:
1. ‘Flash’ research
A Flash project is a tool to provide a rapid response to urgent, time-limited (3-12 months) research needs expressed by one or more FPSs or their competent Minister(s) in support of political decision-making. The aim is to rapidly mobilise expertise or existing scientific.
Flash project results should provide a scientific basis for the execution of federal policy through the implementation of a federal measure, decision, etc.
2. Policy-driven research
The research priorities within these types of projects are proposed by and respond to the specific needs of FPSs. Policy-driven research has a narrow scope and aims to support the concerned department(s) and/or government in the implementation and management of their public policies. The scientific results of the projects will be used and implemented specifically by the FPS(s) concerned.
3. ‘Policy-Oriented’research
This type of research aims to fund a set of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research projects of a strategic nature around broad generic policy themes – possibly across several FPSs – to support long-term decision-making by creating or ensuring critical research mass capacity and international recognition through collaboration.
This type of research also includes:
- Research that uses centralised and/or distributed federal research infrastructures for scientific and/or decision-making purposes.
- Research and monitoring on the BELSPO infrastructures RV Belgica and Princess Elisabeth Station Antarctica, for the implementation of international commitments subscribed by Belgium to support federal, European and international policies.
- Federal research contribution to transnational research programmes (through Joint Programming Initiatives, Partnerships, bi-regional INCO initiatives) with a view to supporting European and international policies.
- Supporting research necessary to formulate a Belgian position in the various international policy development forums and for the implementation of international commitments endorsed by Belgium.
With the exception of the Flash projects, one call for proposals will be launched every two years (call 2024-2025; 2026-2027; 2028-2029; 2030-2031), featuring a number of research priorities aligned with the needs of the Federal Public Services.
