{"id":151241,"date":"2023-03-01T16:35:16","date_gmt":"2023-03-01T15:35:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=151241"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:26:40","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:26:40","slug":"knaw-science-is-not-just-a-cost-item","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2023\/03\/01\/knaw-science-is-not-just-a-cost-item\/","title":{"rendered":"KNAW: \u2018Science is not just a cost item\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

The great value of science cannot be captured in calculations, or only barely, says a new KNAW report. \u201cYou simply can\u2019t say that this one discipline yields more than another\u201d, says committee chair Mirjam van Praag.<\/p>\n

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As soon as parliamentary elections are in sight, economists start to pull out their calculators: how much influence will the plans of the various political parties have on citizens\u2019 wallets? Which party emerges as the \u2018winner\u2019 of all these calculations?<\/span><\/p>\n

The benefits of education and research usually lie in the distant future, however. As a result, they are not reflected in the calculations. In fact, this kind of extra expenditure only seems to feature as a cost item in these models.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tempting<\/h2>

\u201cThis is also what we hear in the corridors\u201d, says Mirjam van Praag, president of VU University Amsterdam and chair of the KNAW committee that examined the value of science. \u201cIt\u2019s tempting for political parties to scrap investments in science in order to come out of the calculations more favourably.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

There is increasing criticism of such economic models. But how should you establish the value of science, then? The previous Minister of Education, Culture and Science (Ingrid van Engelshoven) asked the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) for advice on this subject.<\/span><\/p>\n

This has now been offered to her successor, Minister Robbert Dijkgraaf, who incidentally is also a former president of the KNAW. The Academy, which calls itself the \u2018guardian and interpreter\u2019 of science, often issues recommendations.<\/span><\/p>\n

Iceberg<\/h2>

The value of science is \u2018bigger and broader\u2019 than we can perceive, as the KNAW underlines in the report. \u201cWhat manifests itself as the value of science is often just the tip of the iceberg.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

You might develop a new drug or work on a technical innovation, for example, but not all results are this readily apparent. Training students, for example, or the contribution to democracy and the rule of law \u2013 these are things that cannot be calculated. Moreover, some innovations have an impact that you cannot predict: the Internet was born when scientists working on the CERN particle accelerator wanted to exchange information more easily.<\/span><\/p>\n

In order to do justice to all possible values of science, at least to some extent, the arithmeticians of the planning agencies would be better off using the concept of \u2018broad prosperity\u2019, the Academy advises, as this includes more factors than just the economic situation in a country. Broad prosperity include themes such as health, happiness and social cohesion.<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition, the planning agencies currently make \u2018disappointingly little\u2019 use of what is <\/i>measurable. In their work, they should call upon the many sub-studies that already exist. \u201cThe planning agencies should start working on this right away\u201d, say the authors of the report.<\/span><\/p>\n

Value of education<\/h2>

Van Praag, an econometrist herself, gives the example of spending on education. \u201cThe planning agencies currently feel that they cannot measure the value of education in the right way. At the same time, thousands of studies say that a year of extra education produces a financial return of six to ten percent. But if you don\u2019t include that fact, you\u2019re basically rounding off the return to zero. Or worse still, because only the expenditure is taken into account and not the revenues.\u201d The planning agencies must therefore do their best to take this value into account, according to the KNAW.<\/span><\/p>\n

Is the report lagging behind the facts, now that this government has released so much money for education and research? Van Praag: \u201cWe are in a slightly more luxurious position at the moment, but this may not always be the case, as the economy is declining.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Broad prosperity<\/h2>

It would therefore be wise to capture this value \u2013 in fact, the KNAW prefers to speak in the plural, namely \u2018values\u2019 \u2013 in a kind of dashboard for \u2018broad prosperity\u2019, which demonstrates how the investments will ultimately produce returns. \u201cAnd that doesn\u2019t have to be down to the nearest decimal point\u201d, says Van Praag. \u201cBecause there are some things that we just don\u2019t know yet. But these are things that we can work on.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Isn\u2019t there a danger in the fact that, according to this story, investments in science always pay off? That would make it difficult to determine when enough is enough. It remains a political consideration, says Van Praag. \u201cScience has a very high value, however, so investments in this field are interesting for a country. The main problem is that you can\u2019t currently compare them to alternatives, such as investments in health care.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The report covers science in general, even though numerous directions and disciplines exist. Can you actually lump them all together like that? \u201cThere is simply so much that is influenced by education and science\u201d, replies Van Praag. \u201cIf you look at the development of the population, at healthy living or the resilience of democracy\u2026 you simply can\u2019t say that this one discipline yields more than another.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Education is very important<\/h2>

During the coronavirus period, billions were flying around all over the place. Did that make the discussion about big spending easier? Van Praag does not quite think that is the case. \u201cBut during the coronavirus period, it became clear that education is of great value. On the basis of reliable sub-studies, you can see what happens when people do not receive education for a few months: it is detrimental to student development. Inequality increases right away. People with a vulnerable background suffer more than others. Once again, it shows the importance of education.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The report was presented to Robbert Dijkgraaf, Minister of Education, Culture and Science, last Friday. It was sent to the House of Representatives on <\/span>Monday<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\t

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De redactie<\/h2>\n\t\t\n\t\t
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