Public-oriented activities

Increased awareness of research serves to raise the general level of knowledge among the population, which in turn paves the way for open debate and ensures that the democratic basis for society functions as it should.

The Research Council attaches great importance to public-oriented activities as a means of enhancing public insight into research, conveying information about research findings and recruiting new, talented young researchers.

Kindling the interest of young people

Today's children and teenagers comprise the basis for recruitment of tomorrow's researchers. It is essential that young people are encouraged to develop their natural inquisitiveness into a genuine interest for systematic acquisition of knowledge, and that they gain a constructive, critical awareness of what research is all about.

Three of the Research Council's public-oriented measures

• Norwegian Science Week,
• the Nysgjerrigper Science Knowledge Project, and
• the Proscientia project

are designed to promote the recruitment of young people to higher education and academic careers by offering activities that generate interest in research and technology among children and young people.

National motivator

In addition to the clear focus on dissemination measures integrated into its own programmes and activities, the Research Council actively promotes dissemination activities within other institutions in the research establishment.

The forskning.no web service has been established as a tool for enhancing the status of research in Norwegian society and increase awareness of the benefits of research among the general public.

The Research Council works together with research institutions, organisations and trade and industry to promote knowledge sharing and communication between institutions conducting research and society at large. The Research Council facilitates and creates viable frameworks for communication activities, but the individual research institutions are themselves responsible for the planning, funding, implementation and evaluation of their own R&D dissemination activities.