As a city, how can you ensure that the municipal policy actually works in practice? What role can science play?
Collaboration between the municipality of Rotterdam and EUR
BIG’R wants to use findings from behavioral science to positively stimulate the behavior of Rotterdamers to achieve a healthier and stronger Rotterdam. BIG’R is a collaboration between the city of Rotterdam and EUR: we work together as policy makers and scientists with and for the citizens, driven by our care for the city. We aim to contribute towards more effective municipal policies through contemporary insights from behavioral science.
Closing the gap between science and practice
Behavioral research still has a long way to go. In a city with a particularly diverse population, BIG’R offers opportunities to observe policy-decisions first hand. By working closely together, scientists and policy makers can implement and evaluate interventions from public policy. This way, BIG’R will close the gap between science and practice.
What does this look like in practice?
With BIG’R, we have developed and evaluated the relevant behavioral experiments in the field. Knowledge of human behavior helps in policy making and the interventions involved in the implementation of those policies. Even though BIG’R came to a standstill, we continue to work closely with the municipality. Additionally, we provide regular workshops in and outside of Rotterdam to share our knowledge and to give professionals the tools they need to put the information into practice.
