The REMIT project is led by Prof Roberta Haar, Professor of Foreign Policy Analysis & Transatlantic Relations at Maastricht University. In an introductory interview, Prof Haar shares her aspirations for the project over the next four years.
How will REMIT change the world?
Indeed, that is an ambitious question but one that I feel is motivating and, over the four years, also sustaining for REMIT’s researchers. A research group that focuses on technology policy has the potential to play a crucial role in promoting multilateralism and addressing global challenges related to technology. By conducting rigorous research, promoting evidence-based policymaking, fostering global cooperation, and raising awareness about the importance of multilateralism, the research group can help ensure that technology policies are aligned with the needs and values of people around the world.
What are the main benefits of the REMIT project results?
One main aim and thus a benefit is REMIT’s focus on policy stakeholders. By collaborating with policymakers and stakeholders from all levels, REMIT intends to multiply its impact. By sharing their research findings with policymakers, REMIT researchers can help promote evidence-based policymaking at the multilateral level. This can help ensure that policy decisions are informed by rigorous research and analysis, and are responsive to the needs and concerns of citizens around the world.
Why is REMIT using precisely ACF as core methodology to study technology development and its effect on policymaking and democracy?
REMIT is truly answering the call to go beyond state of the art by employing an extremely successful public policy model to foreign policy and even multilateral policy. Rather than stick to the silos of disciplines, REMIT is truly multidisciplinary and open to ideas from other complimentary fields of science. The ACF is useful because it is a theoretical framework that helps researchers to understand the dynamics of policymaking in complex and contentious policy domains, such as many of the areas in technology policy and multilateralism. Using the ACF allows for an understanding of the regulatory agencies, international organizations, and interest groups involved in technology policy today. By examining the interactions and power dynamics between the movers and shakers of technology policy today, researchers can gain a better understanding of the policy process and the factors that drive policy change or inertia. Because the ACF focuses on understanding the beliefs, values, and interests of key stakeholders, researchers can make more accurate predictions about the policy outcomes that are likely to emerge from the policy process. We will share this information in our innovative Scenario Testing Workshops, where we invite stakeholders to one of our partner locations and share what we learned.
Why should experts in the field follow REMIT research and project results?
Because we intend to predict policy outcomes by identifying the factors that are most likely to influence policy change in four areas of technology policy and multilateralism. Because we have a mix of respected researchers who will develop effective policy recommendations. Because REMIT researcher can help ensure that policy decisions are aligned with the needs and values of citizens around the world.