Dr Zeynep Engin, is the Founding Director and Chair at Data for Policy CIC and Founding Editor-in-Chief of the Data & Policy journal – the open-access journal published by Cambridge University Press dedicated to the intersection of data science and governance, participated as a featured speaker at the Horizon Hub Workshop Series 2026, held at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) in Doha, Qatar.
The programme, titled The Role of Data Storytelling and Generative AI in Progressive Education, brought together international and local experts to co-create actionable strategies for the responsible integration of AI and data storytelling in Qatar’s education sector. Organised by HBKU’s College of Public Policy (CPP), the event took place on 8–9 February 2026 at the Minaretein, Education City.
Workshop: The Journal of Data and Policy
Dr Engin co-led a workshop titled “The Journal of Data and Policy” alongside long-standing Data & Policy editors and Data for Policy community members Dr Anastasija Nikiforova and Dr Mecit Can Emre Simsekler, and Andrew Hyde, Commissioning Editor for Data & Policy journal at Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Going beyond standard author guidance, the session explored the intellectual architecture of an effective policy paper, how to frame technical findings as governance challenges, how to structure evidence for policymakers, and what the editorial team looks for in interdisciplinary submissions.
A central theme was the persistent gap between research and practice: why evidence-based policy supply and demand so often fail to connect. The workshop examined barriers including misaligned timeframes between academic and policy cycles, differing reward structures across sectors, and the knowledge gap between researchers and civil servants. Participants were introduced to the journal’s Translational Articles format, its Policy Significance Statements, and Open Practice Badges, all designed to make research more accessible and actionable for policymakers.
With 25,000 downloads per month, submissions from 48 countries, and 54 citations in policy documents in 2025 alone, Data & Policy has established a significant footprint in shaping data-driven governance globally and the Qatar workshop offered a timely opportunity to extend that reach into the region.
A Global Community with Regional Relevance
Dr Engin also presented the broader Data for Policy ecosystem, which includes a global conference series, and encompasses six interdisciplinary focus areas ranging from algorithmic governance and ethics to technology and analytics.
For Qatar and the wider Gulf region, the workshop offered a timely opportunity to engage with these translational methodologies in the context of the nation’s ambitious digital transformation agenda. “The Journal of Data and Policy” workshop session emphasised the importance of promoting local leadership and expertise for local solutions, while connecting that knowledge base to global experience.
The Horizon Hub Workshop Series aims to produce tangible outcomes from this gathering, including a data-informed policy brief and an implementation roadmap for the education sector in Qatar and the surrounding region.