The Netherlands gets national center for science communication | news item
News item | 25-05-2022 | 17:30
Minister Dijkgraaf (OCW) wants us as a country to stand firmer for the actual results and the results shown. 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. For the centre, which must be set up together with the assembly, Minister Dijkgraaf is proposing a total of more than € 10 million over the ten years.
There are many great things in the Netherlands when it comes to science communication. Numerous engage in conversation with burgers about the questions, design, and implications of their research. Especially young researchers find creative ways to find new audiences. Even better in the field of science communication can be achieved through a national center. The intention is that knowledge is intended for the people who are working 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. It can also initiate the self-examination of science and ways to communicate it. The minister wants to work with the contours of the center. This is aimed at targets in GermanyWissenschaft im Dialog‘) and England (‘National Center for Public Engagement†
Solid role of science
Minister Dijkgraaf: “I stand for scientific results and we buy 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 performed together and make more.”
People at 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 has that it can start people and give insight into the process. Thus, science communication contributes to increasing trust in science.
He sketched a ‘scissors movement’, applying the application of our daily life and beginning scientific misunderstanding about that science. “If we see that more people realize how important it is to increase knowledge, then we need to see the gap and make it possible to widen (.) The task of science is to become more visible and accessible.”