Public Recognition of the Need for Science–Practice Knowledge Co-Production in Complex Systems: Evidence from the D-A-CH Region

Background: Science–practice knowledge co-production, grounded in mutual learning, is a key strategy for generating and integrating knowledge to support informed decision-making in the face of complex societal challenges. However, it remains unclear to what extent the general population recognizes the need for such co-production. Methods: We conducted a quota-sampled survey (July-August 2021) among 3067 adult residents of the German-speaking countries in Europe (D-A-CH). Using multinomial regression models, we calculated odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI), investigating correlates of agreement on the relevance of partnerships between science and practice. Results: In total, 81.8% of the sample expected science to provide clear results, and 90.1% agreed that complex challenges require science–practice knowledge co-production. In multivariable-adjusted models, agreement with the importance of science–practice co-production correlated positively with higher age (ORfully-agree = 1.04; 95%CI = 1.03–1.06), being male (versus being female), and residing in Austria and Germany (versus residing in Switzerland). It was also significantly higher among participants without a migration history (vs. first- or second-generation migrants), and higher educational attainment (ORfully-agree = 1.59; 95%CI = 1.08–2.33), and differed by several personality characteristics. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that a majority of respondents in the D-A-CH region view informed decision-making and policy development for complex challenges as requiring the collaboration and mutual learning between scientific and practice-based actors in addressing complex societal challenges. These findings suggest that educational and institutional interventions may contribute to strengthening collaboration between science and practice.