Decisions made today regarding science, technology, and innovation will define the society of the future. The Rathenau Institute strengthens democratic decision-making in these areas. We identify ethical and societal issues and foster political and public debate.
How do you make decisions on an issue for which decision-making takes several decades and involves a wide range of social and technological uncertainties? What knowledge is needed, and who can have their say? These are key questions when it comes to the safe management of radioactive waste.
To facilitate the discussion of Dutch research policy, the Rathenau Instituut gathers facts and figures on what the Netherlands spends on science and technology, for example. We also identify long-term trends. The scientific world is globalizing. We therefore involve international studies in our research and make international comparisons. We publish these figures in (concise) data publications and (more elaborate) factsheets, organized in six themes.
