News item | 25-05-2022 | 17:30
Minister Dijkgraaf (OCW) wants us as a country to stand firmer for the scientific facts and those who proclaim them. This requires a solid foundation for our science communication. That is why he is taking the initiative for the establishment of a national center for science communication. This new center will collect and share expertise in order to make science communication more effective. Minister Dijkgraaf is making a total of more than €10 million available for the centre, which must be set up in collaboration with scientists.
There are many great initiatives in the Netherlands when it comes to science communication. Countless scientists enter into discussions with citizens about the questions, design, outcomes and implications of their research. Young researchers in particular find creative ways to reach a new audience. A national center will enable even better collaboration in the field of science communication. The intention is that knowledge about this reaches the people who are working on it in practice.
Expertise in this area of science communication – what does and does not work, and how you can shape it – can be shared more widely than is currently the case via the new center. The center can also initiate research into the effectiveness of science communication and into ways to increase it. The minister wants to work out the contours of the center together with scientists. Similar initiatives in Germany are being looked at (‘Wissenschaft im Dialog‘) and England (‘National Center for Public Engagement†
Solid role of science
Minister Dijkgraaf: “I stand for scientific facts and those who proclaim them. Over the past corona period, we have seen how scientific knowledge can come under pressure in our public and political debate. A solid role for science in our society also requires a solid foundation for our science communication. A lot of great things are already happening in this area in our country. I want to bring all those efforts together more and make them even more effective.”
Involving people in scientific process
In his lecture ‘When knowledge becomes critical’ in March of this year in Leiden, Minister Dijkgraaf discussed the importance of science communication. He emphasized that it can involve people and provide insight into the scientific process. In this way science communication contributes to increasing trust in science.
He outlined a ‘scissors movement’, with on the one hand the growing influence of science on our daily lives and on the other a growing lack of understanding about that science. “If we want more people to realize how important it is to increase knowledge, then we need to narrow the gap between science and society (..) The task of science is to become more visible and accessible.”