EPRS Scientific Discourse: Research Publications for Policy Impact Awards
“Recognising evidence-based contributions to national policy and strategy implementation”
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Research Publications for Policy Impact Awards is an EPRS Scientific Discourse Programme. This programme recognises scientific publications whose findings have been used to support the implementation of a named national policy or strategy.
Participants submit one type of publications from year of 2023 to 2025, choose one of five national policies, and write a 500-words narrative showing how the findings reached users and what changed. Entries are judged on evidence of use, not on journal prestige or citation counts. Submission and evaluation run online, and winners are announced on 18 December 2026.
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Existing recognition rewards how good publication is, not what its findings did outside academia. Titles, citation counts and journal rankings rarely show that a finding shaped an industry test protocol, a training module, a technical guideline or an agency action.
Malaysia's national strategies depend on that kind of translation. The New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030) and the National Semiconductor Strategy (NSS), for example, call for stronger industry-relevant R&D, advanced technology capability and talent development. Researchers contribute to these goals, but the path from publication to implementation is seldom documented.
Impact assessment frameworks such as the UK's REF and Malaysian discussions led by MyRMA already use narrative case studies backed by external evidence. Several Malaysian awards recognise publication excellence, including the AAN journal article award, the Malaysia Research Star Award and the MAPIM-KPT award. None, as far as we have found, starts from a single publication and judges its evidenced contribution to a named national policy.
This programme fills that gap. It rewards the journey of knowledge from publication to use, and it keeps a clear line between work that is merely relevant to a policy and work that has demonstrably helped implement it.
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Identify scientific publications that have contributed to implementing national policies and strategies.
Encourage researchers to describe the path from findings to use and outcomes.
Recognise evidence-based knowledge translation, including contributions made through implementing partners.
Build a collection of cases that managers, policymakers, industry and the public can understand.
Lay the ground for a later public discourse or partnerships once strong cases and audiences are identified.
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The publication is the basis of the case. The narrative explains and evidences its contribution; a persuasive story without real use cannot replace evidence.
Relevance is not impact. A topic that aligns with NSS or NIMP 2030 is not, by itself, a translational contribution.
Shaping policy and implementing policy are different claims. Influencing how a policy was written requires evidence of involvement in that process. Contributing to implementation can be shown through an organisation's use of the findings.
Contribution, not sole causation. Panels judge a reasonable contribution; no entrant must prove their publication was the only cause of change.
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Eligible publications must have been published between 2023 and 2025. Each entry for one publication.
Eligible publication types: journal paper, book, conference paper, chapter in book, patent, and other types of publication.
Who may enter: an author, or a representative of a research group with the consent of co-authors.
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NIMP 2030: New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (Pelan Induk Perindustrian Baharu 2030)
NSS: National Semiconductor Strategy (Strategi Semikonduktor Nasional)
DSTIN 2021–2030: National Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (Dasar Sains, Teknologi dan Inovasi Negara)
4IR: National Fourth Industrial Revolution Policy (Dasar Revolusi Perindustrian Keempat Negara)
NETR: National Energy Transition Roadmap (Pelan Hala Tuju Peralihan Tenaga Negara)
Important note: Entrants must map their case to a specific objective, strategy, action or target within the chosen policy, not simply state "aligned with NSS".
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Outstanding Award: Findings used by stakeholders that produced a demonstrable change or result linked to policy implementation.
Translational Award: Findings used in an organisation's actions, processes, training, methods or decisions; long-term outcomes not yet measurable.
Emerging Award: Findings delivered to stakeholders through briefs, briefings, workshops or joint protocols, with uptake beginning.
Visionary Award: Strong, specific policy mapping and a credible plan for use, where real use cannot yet be shown.
Rising Star Award: The strongest case from an early-career researcher.
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Submission: 1 Oct - 30 Nov 2026
Evaluation: 1 Nov – 15 Dec 2026
Winner Announcement: 18 Dec 2026
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Participation takes four steps: choose a published work, select a national policy, write a 500-words narrative, and submit online at www.eprsmalaysia.com.
Each submission contains:
Applicant’s details:
Name:
Email:
Institution/Affliation:
Designation:
Publication details
Title:
List of authors:
Year published:
Publisher:
DOI or ISBN or patent number:
Narrative:
Maximum 500 words.
The narrative should answer six questions:
What problem did the publication address, and what are its main findings?
Which policy objective or action does it relate to, and why?
Who received or used the findings?
How were the findings translated, for example into a protocol, training, decision, guideline or technical input?
What change can be observed?
What are the limits of the claim?
Policy mapping:
The chosen policy and the specific objective, strategy, action or target the case supports.
Please refer to the chosen policy:
Example:
New Industrial Master Plan 2030
MISSION 1: ADVANCE ECONOMIC COMPLEXITY
1.1 Expand to high value-added activities of the value chain
Provide short description. Maximum 100 words.
Proof of payment:
Attached payment proof
Declaration
Author declaration and permission to use submitted material
Entry fee: RM200 per submission.
All payments should be addressed to:
ACCOUNT NO.: 110 194 2135
ACCOUNT NAME: PERSATUAN PENYELIDIKAN PEMPAKEJAN ELEKTRONIK
BANK NAME: BANK RAKYAT
SWIFT CODE: BKRMMYKL
EMAIL: admin@eprsmalaysia.com
REFERENCE: EPRS-SD-2026
**Note: If you need invoice, please contact us at admin@eprsmalaysia.com
Winner announcement: Winners will be announced on the program website and notified via email.
Certificate of participation will be given to all participants.
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Register Link: EPRS - SCIENTIFIC DISCOURSE PUBLICATION SUBMISSION FORM
