Academic Engagement in Policymaking: Evaluating the Demand and Supply in Pakistan's Policy Advisory System

Policy advising involves various activities, from research and data analysis to stakeholder consultations and formulating recommendations for governmental decision‐making. Traditionally focused on individual analysts, the concept of policy advice has evolved to include a wider array of actors, such as ministers, government departments, businesses, NGOs, universities, and research institutes. Academia plays a critical role in providing scientific evidence for evidence‐based policymaking, yet its engagement with policymakers remains underexplored, particularly in the Global South. This study investigates the role of academia in Pakistan's policy advisory system, focusing on the demand for academic knowledge by policymakers and its supply by universities. Pakistan provides a unique case to study the aforementioned relationship because of its Westminster‐style democratic system rooted in the British colonial system, outdated institutional structures, limited technical expertise of bureaucracy, and evolving research‐intensive universities in the education sector. Data were collected from 300 faculty members at research‐intensive universities, revealing limited academic involvement in policy advisory roles and infrequent interactions with policymaking bodies. Additionally, academic participation in official advisory boards or committees is minimal. The findings highlight a significant gap between the demand for academic policy advice and its supply, raising concerns about the underutilization of academic expertise in Pakistan's policymaking processes. This research identifies limited engagement between academia and policymakers, suggesting a need for strategies to strengthen collaboration and promote evidence‐based policymaking.