Advancing evidence-informed policy: outcomes of the global research agenda on knowledge translation.

BACKGROUND: Knowledge Translation (KT) research investigates methods to promote the uptake of research by practitioners, managers and policy-makers. Rooted in decades of interdisciplinary scholarship showing that evidence use is shaped by social sense‑making, institutions and politics, KT has moved beyond a linear "research to policy" model. Yet, persistent gaps between evidence and decision‑making, as well as uneven institutional capacity and fragmented KT research motivated the development of WHO's Global Research Agenda: to prioritize rigorous, context‑sensitive KT research that addresses systemic, governance and practical barriers to sustained evidence‑informed policy-making (EIP). METHODS: From October 2023 to March 2025, a structured five-step approach was undertaken, starting with synthesizing existing evidence on KT strategies and priorities, and complemented by primary data from a global survey. These inputs were used to develop a conceptual framework to organize KT research priority areas. This framework guided a global consultative process, which engaged diverse interest-holders through online consultations and Delphi surveys to jointly identify research gaps, opportunities and priority areas for inclusion in the final research agenda. RESULTS: The initial step of evidence synthesis identified 120 research areas. Through the global consultative process, these were refined to 19 priority research areas organized into three domains: (1) research on KT/EIP interventions, (2) research on barriers, facilitators and opportunities for KT/EIP and (3) research on KT/EIP methods, standards, measurement, theories and frameworks. Specific research areas include strategies to institutionalize KT, contextual factors influencing evidence uptake and exploring innovative technologies such as Artificial Intelligence. CONCLUSIONS: This study proposes a prioritized research agenda to guide future KT/EIP research and inform funding decisions. The agenda requires sustained engagement with interest-holders to maximize its impact. Future research should validate and refine the priorities, and ensure relevance, utility and effective implementation across diverse settings. The GRA is more than a technical checklist; it is a strategic roadmap for navigating the political and institutional dimensions of evidence use, enabling a shift beyond supply-side fixes toward a relational, politically aware KT/EIP approach. This shift is essential to embed evidence use in routine decision-making, strengthen system resilience and advance health equity through sustained institutional reform.