Dutch science has flourished in recent years, sees the Rathenau Instituut. But the required cultural change is coming about slowly, the workload is still sky-high and the new government wants to make cuts yet again.

According to the report De balans van de wetenschap 2024 (The balance of science 2024) the Rathenau Instituut published today, the government contribution for research and development (R&D) rose considerably: from 5.5 billion euros per year in 2018 to 9.1 billion euros in 2023. But this year the money tap will slowly be closed, warn the report’s compilers, “followed by steep decreases in subsequent years”. The exact steepness will be revealed in the months ahead.

Leading position

In recent times, Dutch scientists have gained a leading position when it comes to the number of publications that researchers have to their name. And their work is cited a lot into the bargain. Behind Singapore, the United Kingdom and Switzerland, the Netherlands is in fourth place in the citation ladder, with an ample lead over the United States in fifth place.

Thanks to their excellent reputation, Dutch scientists perform above average when it comes to procuring research money. Calculated per researcher, Dutch scientists are awarded the highest number of European grants.

Jealous

Plenty of countries would be jealous of this starting position. The Rathenau Instituut therefore concludes that the Dutch sciences are in good shape. But there’s a downside to this success. The growing number of publications in prestigious journals and of temporary funds leads to an unhealthy, workload-increasing rat race.

Universities want researchers to also be eligible for promotion because of their wonderful teaching achievements, their contribution to the team, or because they share their scientific insights with society in an accessible way.

In recent years, this ‘recognise and reward’ has become increasingly well-known and studies also show that many people support its basic principles. But that’s not enough for a cultural and system change. In practice, only few people see its concrete results, observes the Rathenau Instituut. The actual time spent by researchers also shows that recognise and reward is still in its infancy.

High workload

Something that won’t be helpful in this regard is the consistently high workload at universities, the report shows. Absenteeism is on the rise. Many young researchers lack security about their academic career and this eats away at them. Universities are slightly quicker than before to offer a permanent contract. But many Dutch scientists are still paid from temporary funds.

The number of women researchers in the Netherlands may be increasing, but is still lower than in the rest of Europe. Within higher education institutions, the following still holds true: the higher the position, the less likely it is held by a woman.