Mobilising Evidence at the Centre of Government in Lithuania
Strengthening Decision Making and Policy Evaluation for Long-term Development
The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the need for high-quality data and evidence to address complex policy challenges. This report takes stock of the capacity for evidence-informed decision making (EIDM) and policy evaluation at the centre of government in Lithuania. Like many other OECD countries, Lithuania faces challenges in supplying quality evidence and ensuring that it is used for decision making. In light of recent reforms, the report analyses gaps in the EIDM system and offers a set of comprehensive recommendations to address them in the short, medium and long terms. It also discusses how the newly created Strategic Analysis Centre could champion evidence-informed decision making in Lithuania.
Building effective connections to support the use of evidence
This chapter examines Lithuanian senior civil servants and policy makers’ ability to use evidence and evaluations. It notes that even if the COVID-19 pandemic has increased interest in scientific evidence, its use is still overall limited in decision making. The report suggests that Lithuania should invest in decision makers’ skills to use, review and appreciate evidence. The report also suggests that publicity and communication of evaluations and evidence are insufficient to ensure their impact. Finally, the chapter analyses several key evidence generating processes in the Lithuanian government, such as that for the evaluation EU structural funds, for strategic planning and for performance audits by the Supreme Audit Institution. In addition, it suggests that the establishment of a government-wide framework for policy evaluation could create further systematic connections between evidence and decision making additional marketplace for evidence.
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