The main objective of the Policy Lab is to promote evidence-based policy formulation and implementation to tackle the burning issues of a diverse range so as to create a prosperous and just society. For the same, it aims at fostering a partnership between government agencies, ministries, diplomatic agencies, journalists, civil society organizations, academics, and business houses. It uses user-centric methods and competencies to test, experiment, and learn to develop new policy solutions.
In order to achieve objective, the KU SOM Policy Lab adopts the following strategies:
- Identify pertinent issues of the country and find the solution with interaction with different stakeholders to create a meaningful impact for citizens.
- Enable and promote policy innovation culture within the public sector and offer a platform for policy incubation and experimentation of human-centric ideas.
- Deliver new policy solutions through inspiring practical projects.
- Build the skills and knowledge of the policy profession and wider civil service.
- Provide a research environment and encourage young scholars to policy research
- Move beyond prototyping and testing it, design implementation strategies.
- Encourage researchers to exchange their insights and findings on different aspects of public policy and governance.
- Build Nepal’s next generation of policy leaders, through which the program aims to become the national voice of Nepal’s future policy.
- Improve standards of public policy initiatives by conducting research and publishing publications, analysis, and reports to different stakeholders.
- Develop and implement outreach strategies to engage relevant policymakers and other stakeholders in dialogue.
- Solicit feedback from and engage policymakers to better guide studies that have policy implications; and
- Provide coaching and communication training to make policy engagement effective.
Along with these objectives, the KU SOM Policy Lab attempts to bridge the gap between academic and mainstream public policy. It seeks to create a platform to learn, teach, support, and engage the community in policy formulation and its effective implementation. Its dedicated partnership with the Government of Nepal (via the Ministry of Federal Administration and General Administration) enables the Policy Lab to also engage directly with policymakers and implementers both at the federal and sub-national levels of government. Design thinking and human-centric innovation are the key methodological approaches of the Lab. Hence, the lab acts as the centre of excellence in policy governance and management in public affairs.