Given that academic research was perceived by some interviewees as less relevant evidence on statelessness than practitioners’ expertise, the Platform is arguably in a strong position to foster greater collaboration between practitioners and academic researchers (see Part 2.3) and facilitate the production of relevant, practical research on statelessness. For instance, by leveraging its network of connections and good insights from experts working in the field, the EMN could help academic researchers understand the needs and interests of policymakers and practitioners. This could arguably lead to aligning the research questions with evidence needs and contribute to the production of more relevant research for those working on statelessness (e.g. Bielak et al., 2008). In addition, knowledge brokers can positively impact evidence uptake by involving target audiences in the development of research questions, giving a sense of ownership in the outcome (Bielak et al., 2008). Fostering collaboration between researchers and policymakers/practitioners is also known to facilitate evidence use (Oliver et al., 2014). Thus, the Platform could use its extensive expertise in organizing events and workshops to facilitate an interactive discourse between academics, practitioners, and policymakers. This could provide an opportunity to exchange their needs and interests, further contributing to aligning research production and needs. Finally, the Platform could strengthen its position as an intermediary by systematically involving academic researchers in Platform events to foster relationship-building between the academic research community and practitioners/policymakers. This could have a positive impact on research evidence uptake by, as personal contacts and relationships play a major role in evidence use (Oliver et al., 2014). Based on this, the following recommendations are proposed: Recommendations on the Platform on Statelessness 4) Continue knowledge brokering between different communities. • Ensuring that all voices, in particular those with lived experiences of statelessness, are represented and contribute to discussions. This enriches the dialogue and raises awareness of the reality of those most impacted by statelessness. 5) Systematic inclusion of academic researchers at events • Include academic researchers systematically in events, allowing them to build relationships with policymakers and practitioners, which can enhance evidence uptake (Oliver et al., 2014). This could also increase trust between practitioners and researchers. • Organization of an interactive panel between practitioners and academics at events. For instance, researchers and/or academics could present their research to practitioners, receiving feedback from the latter on its relevance for those working in the field. Practitioners could also raise issues 32