On May 19, 2025, the Fudan Institute for Global Public Policy (IGPP) organized the 72nd lecture of the Fudan-LSE Lecture Series. Professor Robin Haunschild from the Max Planck Society in Germany delivered a lecture on the theme of An Overview of Policy Documents That Cite Research Papers with a Closer Look at Two Different Research Fields. The session was chaired by Assistant Professor Meijun Liu of IGPP, with Associate Professor Ziteng Fan providing commentary.

Professor Haunschild joined the Central Information Service of the Chemistry, Physics and Technology Division at the Max Planck Society (IVS-CPT) in 2014. His research interests include the study of bibliometrics and altmetrics and their application to specific fields of natural sciences. He has served as a reviewer for more than 20 journals and is currently a member of the Editorial Board of Journal of Informetrics, Scientometrics, Journal of Data and Information Science, Metrics, and Information.

Professor Haunschild provided an overview of the background and significance of policy documents that cite academic research. He introduced the role of IVS-CPT within the German research system and elaborated on its scientometric services and research contributions. Focusing on the specific altmetric category of “policy documents citing research papers,” he noted that such documents are primarily issued by intergovernmental organizations, think tanks, and government agencies. These citations reflect how academic research informs policymaking and offer a valuable lens for assessing the broader societal impact of scientific work.

Next, Professor Haunschild conducted an in-depth analysis of two research fields. In the area of climate change, he presented relevant datasets and the distribution characteristics of research papers cited in policy documents. He compared citation patterns across journals, document types, and OECD categories. In the field of public policy and administration, he introduced key datasets, research methodologies, types of papers, and citation patterns found in policy documents. He also examined the relationship between policy citations and journal impact factors. His analysis revealed that while policy documents tend to cite high-impact journals, the rate at which academic findings are translated into policy has been declining. He further emphasized the important intermediary role that think tanks play in connecting academic research with policymaking.

During the Q&A session, Associate Professor Fan offered commentary and raised questions about government attitudes toward academic research and the definition of policy documents. Audience asked about practical limitations of citations in both fields and long-term trends in research output. Professor Haunschild responded thoroughly and shared his perspectives on future research directions.

On behalf of the IGPP, Assistant Professor Liu presented a gift to Professor Haunschild, and the lecture concluded successfully with a group photo.