Education Minister Polaschek Visited Sweden
Education Minister Martin Polaschek emphasized the importance of science on his visit to Sweden. He especially praised Swedish society for having such a high trust in science and is seeking some Swedish strategies to take them to Austria.
Education Minister Martin Polaschek Wants to Strengthen the Trust in Science in Austria by Taking Sweden as an Example. / Picture: © Wikimedia Commons / [Public Domain]
Education Minister Martin Polaschek has taken up the cause of strengthening trust in science and democracy given the high level of disinterest in and skepticism towards scientific findings and researchers in Austria. During a visit to Sweden, he is currently looking for ideas, as "trust is particularly high" in the Scandinavian country, as he explained in a broadcast, according to ORF.
"Science is particularly important in Swedish society because people here are aware of the direct influence of science and research on their everyday lives and their prosperity. This is also reflected in the media presence," explained Polaschek. He recalled the annual Nobel Prize ceremony, "a major social event in Sweden that is broadcast on television to millions of households - comparable to the opera ball in Austria".
According to ORF, for the minister, this is "definitely one of our approaches to strengthening trust in science in Austria. We have to put science in the public eye, in schools, in pubs, and people's living rooms. This is the only way to create a broad awareness that science surrounds us every day, around the clock, and positively influences our lives".
During his three-day visit to Sweden, Polaschek will hold bilateral talks with his Swedish counterparts and visit the Nobel Prize Foundation. At the "Forum foer levande historia" (Forum for Living History), an institution of the Swedish Ministry of Culture for the promotion of democracy, human rights, and tolerance, he informed himself about Swedish measures in this area. Tomorrow, Wednesday, he will take part in the informal meeting of EU research ministers. As part of his "ten-point program to strengthen trust in science and democracy in Austria" presented last autumn, Polaschek will present science ambassadors next Tuesday, who will go to schools, arouse interest, and strengthen trust in science.