From science to policy: A multilevel framework for measuring institutional policy engagement through Overton

Abstract

Abstract This study presents a multilevel framework to assess the policy attention of academic institutions using Overton as a primary data source. We illustrate this framework through a case study of the University of Granada, combining Overton policy mentions, OpenAlex topics, and bibliometric analysis. Results show policy engagement particularly concentrated in health, physical, and social sciences, with mentions from key governmental and intergovernmental organisations. The study quantifies the university’s visibility in policy documents, classifies mentions by scientific domain and issuer type, maps 1,145 research topics to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and identifies seven researchers whose work aligns with Spain’s Urban Agenda. The findings demonstrate the value of Overton for mapping the presence of institutional research in policy documents and tracing science-policy linkages. However, given the well-documented risks of misuse of bibliometric indicators in research evaluation, users of this framework should be aware of key interpretive boundaries: policy mentions should not be equated with policy impact; raw mention counts cannot establish reliable temporal trends given Overton’s continuous expansion; and geographic and linguistic distributions of mentions reflect Overton’s structural indexing biases toward OECD countries rather than real-world policy engagement. With these caveats, the framework offers a scalable model for institutional policy engagement assessment.