(interviewee 17). Another respondent, an academic, maintained that “I think the dialogue between the European Migration Networks and academicians must be improved”. While there is already a good relationship, they see value in strengthening the dialogue, collaboration, and exchange of points of view between academia and the EMN, which, according to them, could benefit policy design and discussions (interviewee 34). In summary, to date the EMN's role as a knowledge broker between scientific research and policymakers and/or practitioners has mostly been limited to that of a facilitator, bringing together different communities through different events or establishing links between scientists and other stakeholders when needed. However, interviewees indicated that there is some interest in the EMN playing a stronger role in fostering collaboration between researchers, practitioners, and policymakers. Part 3: Conclusion and Recommendations: EMN in general Part 2 addressed the questions of how the EMN contributes to evidence engagement on migration and asylum, as well as what factors incentivize or hinder evidence engagement. In general, the interview findings showed that: • Interpersonal relationships and connections are key assets in evidence engagement within and through the EMN, facilitating rapid information exchange and meeting policymakers' needs. • On the flipside of this, there can be somewhat limited visibility of the EMN and its tools for those not personally involved with the network, which can be an obstacle to evidence engagement. • The EMN’s ‘neutral approach’ of information mapping can facilitate evidence engagement and access to information from some actors, notably policy actors, especially on sensitive topics such as migration. However, this may marginalize some types of evidence, such as more critical voices. • While the EMN can be an intermediary between academic researchers and other audiences, notably by acting as a linking agent, there appears to be some room and desire for future development in this regard. The interviews suggested that the EMN can contribute to evidence engagement by partly assuming the role of knowledge broker between different actors. On the one hand, as pointed out in Part 2.1 (more in D1.3), the EMN acts as a linking agent, contributing to networking and relationship building, or connecting those who need evidence with experts (e.g. Meyer, 2010, Text Box 1). This was described by interviewees as a clear added value and a key factor in evidence engagement. In addition, as discussed in Part 2.2, the EMN can broker knowledge by taking on the position of an information manager that maps, formats, and disseminates evidence to inform knowledge users (e.g. 21