Every three years, the Rathenau Institute surveys Dutch citizens about their trust in various institutions, including science, the judiciary, the media, and the government. This year, on a scale from 1 to 10, the average score for science is 7.53 — a modest increase from 7.42 in the previous survey from 2021.

Compared to other Dutch institutions, science still enjoys relatively high trust. The judiciary scored 6.60, newspapers 5.65, and television 4.83. The government is at the bottom of the list, with an average score of just 4.33.

Susceptible to Influence

Notably, the number of people who express very little trust in science (a score of 5 or lower) has grown significantly — from 9.5 percent in 2021 to 14.6 percent now. This group often voices concern about scientific research being influenced, especially by companies or organizations that fund it.

The overall increase in the average score is largely due to a rise in very positive assessments: 34.1 percent gave science a 9 or 10, compared to just 20.6 percent in 2021.

According to the Rathenau Institute, these opinions often correlate with education level, age, and political orientation. They also vary by topic: research related to health inspires more trust than research on inequality or discrimination.

Germany

In many developed countries, public trust in science remains relatively stable. Germany, however, is a notable exception. In 2021, 61 percent of German citizens said they trusted science, but by 2024, that number had dropped to 55 percent.

This article was translated using AI-assisted tools and reviewed by an editor.