Innovation agencies, statistical agencies and researchers across the world are exploring new applications of big data and analytics methods such as machine learning and Artificial Intelligence, brought about by the data revolution to measure and map Research and Innovation (R&I) activities, deliver and evaluate R&I policies.

In collaboration with the OECD and the European Commission we brought together R&I policymakers to reflect on the lessons learned from this work. We identified those areas where new data offers the greatest potential for R&I policy, and discussed how we can realise this potential to enhance the impact of R&I policies and their ability to address grand societal challenges for the benefit of all.

Sessions highlighted the 'burning' R&I policy questions that can be addressed with new data and provided the opportunity to envisage new and transformational R&I policy interventions and processes that could be enabled by new data and analytics.

In addition, on March 22nd, we hosted a research and innovation hack day; a morning of data science tutorials and brainstorming, followed by an afternoon of collaborative mini projects inspired by the previous day's discussion.