There are many ways for knowledge and research evidence to reach policy makers and inform policy decisions. One important channel is the analysis by policy analysts in government organizations.
In January 2014, the Indonesian Parliament passed a landmark law to modernize the civil service on principles of merit and professionalism (Law No. 5 on Civil Service). One section of the law introduces a new role in to the bureaucracy: policy analysts (or Jabatan Fungsional Analis Kebijakan).
I met Professor Mark Considine, the Dean of the University of Melbourne Arts Faculty and Dean of the Melbourne School of Government, to talk about the role of policy analysis and policy analysts in policy making following a workshop held in Jakarta organized by National Institute of Public Administration (or Lembaga Administrasi Negara – LAN) and the Knowledge Sector Initiative.