We live in times marked by mistrust, polarization and misinformation. This is why universities must take on a greater responsibility. This was a key message at yesterday's Education and Research Policy Summit at DTU.
Universities must bring their knowledge out into society and participate in the public debate, emphasised DTU's President, Anders Bjarklev, in his opening address:
"We must be visible, open and willing to engage in difficult conversations. We must not be the loudest voices. But we must speak clearly."
Universities have a responsibility to enable decision makers to make informed choices and to ensure that policy is based on research:
"We must make ourselves and our knowledge available to facilitate the best possible decision-making," said Anders Bjarklev.
More knowledge in the public discourse
How universities can fulfil their democratic responsibilities was the subject of a panel discussion between Lisbeth Knudsen, Director of Strategy at Altinget and Mandag Morgen, and Margrethe Vestager, Chair of the Board at DTU.
Lisbeth Knudsen called for researchers to have the courage to participate more actively in the public debate. It is they who possess the knowledge that society needs, she said.
Whilst Margrethe Vestager agreed with the general observation – that more researchers should contribute their knowledge to the public debate – she did not believe that the responsibility should rest with individuals:
"I don't think it should be down to the courage of one person, but rather the culture of the organisation that enables researchers' participation in the public debate," said Margrethe Vestager.
Specifically, researchers should have the opportunity to consult with professional communicators and feel that they are part of a collective effort. Nor should they be left alone to deal with the reactions their participation may provoke, said Margrethe Vestager. She added that scientific leadership and democratic responsibility are guiding principles in DTU's new strategy.
Research and production go hand in hand
One of the areas where universities' expertise also comes into play is in collaboration with businesses. According to DTU's President, Anders Bjarklev, research and production are mutually dependent:
"Engineers do not replace skilled workers. Research does not replace production. Knowledge and manual labour are not rivals. Although one might get that impression when listening to the public debate. In fact, they go hand in hand, and one cannot exist without the other."
If Denmark and Europe are to remain competitive, we must be able to both develop the technology of the future and to translate it into production, emphasised Claus Jensen, Union President of Dansk Metal, in his presentation:
"DTU must keep its eyes on the long-term. You must conduct research into quantum technology, space technology and other technologies where the major benefits may lie 10, 20 or 30 years into the future. But DTU must also keep its eyes on the immediate future: because we also need to boost productivity in Danish businesses tomorrow and the day after."
Small and medium-sized enterprises, in particular, can find it difficult to invest in new technology. And for them, access to shared research and testing facilities plays a vital role, Claus Jensen emphasised.
He highlighted DTU Nanolab, where cleanrooms and advanced equipment give companies access to facilities that an individual start-up or SME could never establish on its own. Another example is the test centre in Østerild, where offshore wind turbines can be tested on a full scale. According to Claus Jensen, both sites demonstrate how the university's infrastructure helps companies to develop, test and prepare technology for production.
Expert input for Parliament
In the political arena, there is also interest in making greater use of the universities' expertise. This was evident during the summit's political debate between the education and research spokespeople Stinus Lindgreen of The Social Liberal Party and Trine Bramsen of the Social Democrats.
The Parliament needs better research-based knowledge to better scrutinise the government and ask critical questions about its legislative proposals, said Stinus Lindgren (R).
In his view, Members of Parliament are not sufficiently equipped to fulfil this task. Researchers can help by providing them with a professional foundation, so that the political debate is based on a shared understanding of the facts:
"What you can give us is knowledge and data – a professional basis on which we can stand," said Stinus Lindgreen, addressing the researchers in attendance.
In his closing remarks, DTU President, Anders Bjarklev, suggested that this task could be addressed as part of the universities' existing public dissemination obligations. He is ready to contribute if all parties in the Parliament consider it worthwhile:
"If that is what is wanted, then I would welcome it with open arms," said Anders Bjarklev.
