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Around the world there are widespread efforts to ensure that policy decisions are based upon a sound evidence base, and in particular to facilitate closer integration between the research and policy communities. This commentary provides an overview of the current situation in different parts of the world relating to the opportunities that exist for policy makers to assimilate scientific findings, as well as the existing barriers perceived by both the policy and research communities. Mutual trust and respect between the relevant parties emerge as crucial factors in successful collaboration. Skilled mediators are also considered essential to ensuring effective communication; this may be via third parties such as NGOs, or news services and online portals to convey, 'translate' and place in a policy context the scientific findings. Mechanisms for improving researchers' communication skills as well as increasing their awareness of the need to communicate proactively with the policy community are also considered in order to inform future practice in this area.

Around the world there are widespread efforts to ensure that policy decisions are based upon a sound evidence base, and in particular to facilitate closer integration between the research and policy communities. This commentary provides an overview of the current situation in different parts of the world relating to the opportunities that exist for policy makers to assimilate scientific findings, as well as the existing barriers perceived by both the policy and research communities. Mutual trust and respect between the relevant parties emerge as crucial factors in successful collaboration. Skilled mediators are also considered essential to ensuring effective communication; this may be via third parties such as NGOs, or news services and online portals to convey, 'translate' and place in a policy context the scientific findings. Mechanisms for improving researchers' communication skills as well as increasing their awareness of the need to communicate proactively with the policy community are also considered in order to inform future practice in this area.

Governmental and institutional policy making in a number of countries has embedded public engagement strategies as a primary channel to connect citizens with scientific and technological innovation. Robotics is emerging as a key site for such new technological activity and its applications are likely to be increasingly notable in our lives in coming years. Robotics researchers are investing considerable time and effort in "engaging" publics. Concentrating on the findings of 24 qualitative interviews with those actively organizing or engaging publics, across 11 public engagement activities focused on the robotics field within the United Kingdom, this article explores their conceptions of "public engagement" and its benefits and constraints. The results suggest that while the language of engagement has been embraced there remain practical, conceptual, and individual influences on the level of engagement which is experienced.

Recent years have witnessed a dramatic global growth in the development of large-scale public science events. Although usually grouped together under the umbrella term 'Science Festivals', the events differ greatly in size and scope. This paper presents the findings from a 2008/09 international survey of Science Festivals in order to compare and contrast worldwide trends. An online survey was completed by 56 self-identified Science Festivals, supplemented by a content analysis of 94 Festival websites identified internationally. This work identifies for the first time a common international definition for events which identify themselves as 'Science Festivals'. The findings show that Science Festivals are currently particularly common within Europe; however, their popularity is growing within other regions. There is a large diversity in the scale of Science Festivals, encompassing some small, localised events reaching a few hundred people, up to nationwide events reaching many millions. Precise audience figures are not acquired by many Festivals; however, there is evidence that over 5.6 million people are reached by Science Festivals annually, with events focused mainly on hands-on activities combined with some talks, lectures, discussions, and debates. The funding and operational modes also vary significantly, with the vast majority of Science Festivals obtaining their funding from multiple sources, including government support, sponsorship, and funding grants. A considerable number of Science Festivals conduct at least an informal evaluation, with some Festivals making their evaluations publicly available. This work demonstrates that Science Festivals are an increasingly important area of science communication worthy of further research.

Science, politics, industry, media, state-run and private organisations, private citizens: everyone has their own demands, their own heritage of knowledge, thoughts, opinions, aspirations, needs. Different worlds that interact, question one another, discuss; in one word: they communicate. It is a complicated process that requires professionals «who clearly understand the key aspects of the transmission of scientific knowledge to society through the different essential communication channels for multiple organizations». The purpose of this commentary is to cast some light upon the goals, the philosophy and the organisation behind some European and extra-European Master's degrees in science communication. We have asked the directors of each of them to describe their founding elements, their origins, their specific features, their structure, their goals, the reasons why they were established and the evolution they have seen over their history.