In today’s world of accelerating change, economic shocks, technological disruption, climate insecurity, and deepening social divides, the demand for smart, inclusive, and responsive public policy has never been greater. Governments, trade unions, employers, and international organizations are under pressure to deliver real solutions to real problems. But too often, the gap between knowledge and decision-making remains wide. Research exists, but does not reach the right tables. Data is available, but is not used effectively. Policy windows open (and close) without evidence being brought to bear.

Decent work and social justice do not happen by chance, but are the result of deliberate choices, inclusive processes, robust institutions, and informed policy action – principles that lie at the heart of the ILO’s mandate and operational approach. For over a century, the ILO has supported countries to shape fairer labour markets and stronger social contracts. At the heart of this mission is evidence, and the ILO Research Department exists to generate, synthesize, translate, and communicate that evidence for policy impact.

But generating evidence is only one part of the equation. We must also build the capacity of those who use it. That is why the ILO Research Department and the ITCILO’s Employment Policy and Analysis Programme have launched the Diploma in Evidence-Based Policymaking for Decent Work and Social Justice.

Through four integrated courses (three mandatory courses and one elective course) and a capstone project, participants will gain the knowledge and practical skills to:

• Frame policy questions that drive learners;
• Interpret and apply research and data;
• Use labour market statistics with confidence;
• Communicate findings persuasively to different audiences;
• And ultimately, design and influence policies that are evidence-based, politically and technically feasible, and socially and environmentally just.

What makes this Diploma truly unique is its foundation in the ILO’s tripartite values and global mandate. Participants will not only learn about public policy and data, they will engage directly with the lived realities of policymaking across diverse institutional contexts. The programme brings together government officials, trade unionists, employers’ representatives, researchers, and development practitioners into one learning community. This diversity creates a rich environment for cross-fertilization of ideas, grounded in mutual respect and shared commitment to decent work.

The Diploma is designed as a progressive yet flexible learning journey that develops participants’ capacity to turn evidence into action for decent work and social justice. While each course builds on shared foundations and complements the others, participants may follow different learning sequences according to their needs and interests.

The pathway includes five interconnected components: four courses (three mandatory and one elective (chosen between two options), each issued as a Certificate of Achievement (CoA)) that build technical, analytical, and communication skills for designing, implementing, and advocating evidence-informed policies that contribute to decent work and social justice, in the context of the ILO’s mandate;  a capstone project that integrates and applies the knowledge acquired throughout the programme. Participants must finish the full programme within three years.

The total curriculum required to obtain the Diploma amounts to 300 learning hours, consisting of three mandatory courses:

A9719099  From Research to Policy: Understanding the Policy-Evidence Nexus

A9719100 Understanding Research and Methodologies

A9719101 From Research to Policy: Policy Design and Labour Market Realities

One elective course, to be chose between:

A9719102 Storytelling for Research and Policy, Online

An additional course on Interpreting Labour Market Statistics and Analysis (TBD)

Plus a Capstone project

After completing the four courses (three mandatory and one elective), participants will be eligible to carry out a capstone project. This project represents the culmination of the learning journey, allowing participants to apply their skills in a practical, policy-relevant context. It consolidates and applies the competencies gained through the learning pathway and represents the final building block of the Diploma.

Possible outputs include a policy analysis paper, diagnostic report, policy brief, or applied research study. The topic must align with the themes of the five completed courses and be approved by ITCILO/ILO experts. The project is assessed on its policy relevance, methodological quality, and practical application.

The Diploma is designed for a broad range of actors engaged in the design, analysis, and communication of evidence-based policies. This includes:

• Policymakers, government officials, and representatives from ministries responsible for labour, employment, and related areas in the world of work;
• ILO and UN staff, development practitioners, and consultants;
• Representatives of workers' and employers' organizations;
• Public investment, employment and labour market policy advisers;
• Policy analysts working with national and international think tanks, financial institutions, research departments, and foundations;
• Researchers and academics involved in the generation and interpretation of policy-relevant evidence;
• Professionals engaged in the communication of research and policy, including those working on advocacy, strategic messaging, and public engagement within the policy process;
• Individuals interested in or actively contributing to the provision of information, analysis, and recommendations that shape policymaking and promote decent work.

The world of work is changing fast, and not always for the better. Climate change, rising inequalities, conflicts, economic volatility, technological disruption… these are no longer distant risks. They are daily realities shaping jobs, livelihoods, and the futures of entire communities.

For those who design public policy, in ministries, trade unions, employer organizations, UN agencies, and research centres, the challenge is huge. How do you make decisions that are not only smart and timely, but also fair and inclusive? How do you ensure your policies are grounded in reality, in real data, real people, real needs?

And yet, far too often, there is a disconnect. Policies are developed without grounding in evidence, while evidence exists fails to reach decision-makers. Researchers and policymakers often speak distinct languages. The result? Missed opportunities, ineffective programmes, and social contracts that conflict under pressure.

At the ILO, social justice and decent work are not just aspirational values, they are the outcome of deliberate policy choices. And these choices are stronger when they are grounded in sound evidence. This is where the ILO Research Department and the ITCILO’s Employment Policy and Analysis Programme come in, to help bridge the gap between knowledge and policy.

The Diploma in Evidence-Based Policymaking for Decent Work and Social Justice was created for people committed to turning knowledge into action, including:

• Government officials who want to improve employment and labour policies;
• Trade union and employer representatives who want to advocate more effectively;
• UN and development staff seeking tools to shape policy dialogue;
• Researchers who want to make their findings matter;
• Data analysts and communicators trying to turn complexity into clarity.

This is more than a technical programme. It is a learning journey. You will learn how to ask better policy questions, design and interpret research, use labour market data, and — most importantly — communicate insights that influence change. Through five integrated courses and a capstone project, you will build the confidence and competence to make evidence work — for workers, employers, governments, and society.

It is not easy work. But it is urgent work. And if you are ready to take on that challenge, this Diploma is for you.

Anchored in the ILO’s tripartite values and developed by the ILO Research Department and ITCILO’s Employment Policy and Analysis Programme, this flagship diploma aims to empower the next generation of policy leaders, those who can connect data with decisions, and research with results.