287 General discussion 9 Recognizing the importance of societal impact, significant changes have taken place over the past decade in the academic reward and evaluation system, at both system and disciplinary level. Examples include the installation of U.K.’s Research Excellence Framework (i.e. reward system that rewards universities that demonstrate impact) and the inclusion of societal impact in research proposal evaluation schemes by funding bodies (59). In the Netherlands, academic discourse has embraced societal impact through the New Recognition and Reward system (60). As a result, efforts in science communication, public engagement and societal impact align more closely with academic reward structures (57). This recognition opens up opportunities for individuals to pursue different career paths based on their aspirations, qualities and opportunities, thereby ‘redefining the balance between rewards for research, education, societal impact and leadership’ (60). However, there is room for improvement in the weight given to societal impact and non-scientific outreach efforts in the assessment of PhD students if we are to really perpetuate the current system, thereby offering full room for differentiation in academic (early) career paths. By doing so, we - at the same time - recognize that non-scientific communication and directly engaging in societal impact may not be for everyone and requires specific skills, experience, and interest. Finally, to promote societal impact and effective science communication, universities should institutionalize support for impact design and non-scientific communication, similar to how they provide support for data management or statistical analysis (52). By doing so, institutions can stimulate and facilitate societal impact, ensuring that effective science communication becomes an integral part of academic endeavours. TAKE HOME MESSAGES | THEME 5 • Effective science communication is crucial for promoting public and patient involvement in science. It bridges the gap between scientists and the general public, promotes understanding, and facilitates informed decision-making based on evidence. • Translating scientific knowledge into societal impact requires effective knowledge creation and dissemination. Providing a systematic approach to knowledge creation in healthcare enhances evidence-informed decision-making and may benefit its societal impact. Doctoral programs and academic discourse should include training in these skills. • Newly implemented Reward and Recognition systems provide room to participate in science communication and public engagement with performances being more closely aligned with academic reward structures. However, more weight should be given to non-scientific outreach efforts in the assessment of PhD students.
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