• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

2013 Annual Report Open university Universities are more like Piccadilly Circus than ivory towers Winning together Discussion on shale gas must be expanded 2 Foreword Rathenau Instituut HEATED DEBATE The Rathenau Instituut plays a major role in these debates and issues. Together with VSNU (association of universities), we are developing future scenarios for universities. We published a candid report on shale gas extraction, or fracking, in which we argue in favour of improved cooperation between national and regional authorities. We conducted a public survey into confidence in science. In the summer, we held a thought-provoking debate between politicians, administrators and US philosopher Daniel Sarewitz on the relationship Looking back, for me 2013 was the year in which between science and politics. the debate on public confidence in science really heated up. There was uproar about a few That our activities make a valuable contribution high-profile cases of fraud and irregularities at to democratic decision-making on science and Dutch universities. There was debate about the technology and how they are embedded into excessive pressure to publish articles in academic society was confirmed by the evaluation journals and other (perceived) perverse stimuli, conducted of the Rathenau Instituut in 2013. stirred up by the men at Science in Transition. And In response, Minister Bussemaker of Education, there was debate about the role of science in Culture and Science called on the institute to social controversies such as shale gas extraction. invest even more in services to parliament. We like to work on this in 2014 and the years Essential questions are now being asked: how can ahead. we create a future-proof university system? What are the criteria for science to fulfil its societal role? Gerdi Verbeet, And what is it that makes science reliable? Chair of Rathenau Instituut Annual report 2013 3 CONTENTS 4 Shall I drive or will you? 5 Science patenting more 6 Open university Universities are more like Piccadilly Circus than ivory 4 towers 9 Ban on experts 10 Shift happens 11 Jan Staman’s top 5 What were the fi ve main 10 6 themes of 2013 in the opinion of Jan Staman, director of the Rathenau Instituut? 12 2013 in fi gures 15 Winning together Discussion on shale gas 11 17 must be expanded 17 Artifi cial life? 18 Solve problems together 19 Report on Rathenau 18 20 2013 in fi gures 22 Publications This Annual Report contains the highlights of 2013. The full 2013 Rathenau Instituut Annual Report in Dutch can be found on our website: 15 19 www.rathenau.nl/jaarverslag2013 4 Projects 2013 Rathenau Instituut Shall I drive ‘Smart computers take over at digitisation of our infrastructure. the wheel’ was the headline in Dutch MP Sander de Rouwe, traffic or will you? national newspaper De Telegraaf specialist for political party CDA, on research conducted by the believes it is a useful report. “It Rathenau Instituut and TU aligns with previous pleas from my Eindhoven into the future of traffic party to make greater use of the systems. Speed restrictions in available technology,” he said residential areas where children during a meeting with the Minister play would seem acceptable, of Infrastructure and the Environ- but what do we think of cars that ment. Stientje van Veldhoven of automatically intervene as soon political party D66 asked the as we deviate from our course? minister to re-examine the guide- Should cars be allowed to act as lines for road design. The minister e-coaches and subtly steer us replied that CROW (technology towards safer or more sustainable platform for transport, infrastructure driving behaviour? In the report and public space) constantly ‘Op advies van de auto (On the updates these guidelines. advice of the car)’, researchers reveal this and other ethical, Together with Philips, Technology technical and political issues Foundation STW and the National involving tempting (persuasive) Initiative Brain & Cognition, the technology in traffic. Rathenau Instituut has now initiated further research into other types of The report also looks at other, persuasive technology, especially wider issues concerning the e-coaching. Annual report 2013 Projects 2013 5 Science Dutch knowledge institutes are 4.7 percent in the period from 2005 applying for ever more patents. to 2009. Knowledge institutes patenting This is demonstrated by the report have been increasingly active in ‘Patentaanvragen door kennis­ technology since 1980. They more instellingen (Patent applications by account for a growing proportion knowledge institutes)’ published by of patent applications which are the Rathenau Instituut at the end of relevant to the top sectors of high November 2013. The institute listed tech, life sciences and chemicals. patent applications between 1980 and 2009. In the years 1980 to 1984, Over the past thirty years, Dutch all the universities and research industry has also applied for more institutes combined applied for patents but the growth in appli- about 25 patents a year. Yet at cations has been less extreme. nearly 370 applications a year this number was fourteen times higher Incidentally, the number of patent in the period between 2005 and applications increased less sharply 2009. in the period from 2005 to 2009. NL Patent Office believes that this This means that the proportion of is due to Dutch industry focusing knowledge institutions in the total more on development rather than number of Dutch patent research, and because it is more applications rose from 1.1 percent selective in its applications. in the period from 1980 to 1984 to Don’t mess Are we going to fertilise oceans The report does say that there using iron? Should we conduct should be research into removing about with large-scale filtering of CO2 from CO2 from the air (Carbon Dioxide the air? German, British and US Removal, CDR) and that where the climate yet politicians are given extensive applicable legislation should be information on climate engineering. considered. Jip Lenstra from research So far, things have been quiet on this and consultancy bureau Ecorys: front in the Netherlands. This is why “SRM proved to be much less the Rathenau Instituut presented important than I thought and CDR the report ‘Klimaat engineering: is in fact much more important. hype, hoop of wanhoop? (Climate It takes more time, but we still engineering: hype, hope or despair?)’ have that.” to stakeholders at the end of 2013. The Ministry of Infrastructure & Researchers recommend imposing the Environment is pleased with a temporary ban on technology the report. Civil servant Ronald which reflects sunlight on a large Flipphi during the presentation: scale. Maarten van Aalst from the “The discussion on climate Red Cross agrees with this. In the engineering is heading our way. discussion held at the presentation The Dutch government wishes of the Rathenau report, he argued to conduct it in as well-informed a for a moratorium on so-called SRM manner as possible. The government technologies. (SRM stands for Solar is in principle not against climate Radiation Management, the engineering. Each individual reflection of the sun’s rays using e.g. techno logy should be assessed sulphur particles in the stratosphere.) on its own merits.” Annual report 2013 Careers 7 Universities are more like Piccadilly Circus than ivory towers Open university The Dutch academic job market is much more open than was thought. And when selecting talented young researchers the universities rely on external assessments. This was shown by two reports by the Rathenau Instituut on the structure of the Dutch academic system in 2013. Frequently-heard comments in academic structure of the academic job market. circles: “universities’ upper ranks are closed” It shows that large numbers of PhD and and “excursions outside academia are fatal post-doctoral students, but also university to your academic career.” Such comments lecturers, associate professors and need to be placed in context, as demon- professors, are leaving universities. And yet strated by research conducted by the the opposite is also true: there is a large Rathenau Instituut. In its publication entitled influx of researchers from outside. The ‘Academische carrières en loopbaanbeleid publication also shows that Dutch academia (Academic careers in the Netherlands)’, the is becoming increasingly international. institute lists facts and figures as recorded The proportion of foreign academics grew over ten years by the VSNU, the Netherlands from 23 percent in 2003 to 30 percent in Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) 2011. An increasing number of women are and Statistics Netherlands, among others. also moving into more senior positions, but at the current rate it will take another The publication provides insight into the job thirty to forty years before there really is market shifts of academics and depicts the an equal proportion of men and women. 8 Careers Rathenau Instituut The statistics are an eye-opener to many of Crafting your career those involved, even insiders. Karl Dittrich, chair of the VSNU, commented: “I was on the edge of The key to improving innovational research my seat.” policy lies with the universities and researchers rather than the NWO. This was A focus on talent demonstrated by the analyses conducted by At the same time as the facts and fi gures on the Rathenau Instituut. Individual researchers academic careers and career policy, the Rathenau must also be much more realistic about their Instituut presented the report entitled ‘Talent opportunities for an academic career. In order centraal (A focus on talent)’ on the development to have those researchers think about how and selection of researchers in the Netherlands. to craft their careers, together with the The report concludes that Dutch universities University of Leiden’s Centre for Science of rely on external assessments when they select and Technology Studies (CWTS) the institute talented researchers.

Load more

  24

Copy Link