The COVID-19 pandemic has been a crisis for health, economy and society. At the sametime, it has acted like a pressure cooker for a range of developments in society, such as the acceleration of digitalisation of education, work, and our social lives. Moreover, it has underscored the importance and challenge of democratic and evidence-based political decision-making. Politicians had to deal with scientific uncertainty and normative issues, such as taking measures that have far-reaching consequences for citizens. Science, technology and innovation (STI) have played a crucial role in this crisis. How did governments in different countries respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, and how did they use STI to combat the crisis? What are the emerging issues that need to be dealt with in a post-COVID world? In this report, we address these questions