Establishing the links between research and policy involves taking into account not only who the educational researchers are but also the context in which they act. In this paper, public higher education policies are analyzed, since they represent a principal object of study for researchers and a relevant sphere for their interactions with decision-makers. The group's constituent characteristics and the mechanisms they use to interact with decision-makers as advisers or public opinion makers are also analyzed. Identifying the topics that specialists have dealt with in the last few years, the contents of a shared agenda that will allow for a more profound strategic reflection and a reorientation of public policies are reflected upon.