Italian tax laws allow citizens to donate 0,5% of their tax payment to a research or charity institution of their own choice. Italians like this funding system: two thirds of taxpayers have already decided to give their five per thousands to either non profit social activities or scientific research. The latter will benefit from the contribution of three taxpayers out of ten (four out of ten among the most educated). But on the whole three quarters of Italians believe that the 5×1000 system is useful to fund research: it allows citizens to reward institutions who deserve it; it stimulate research institutions to be more transparent and accountable; it offers citizens the opportunity of participating in decisions on science and technology issues. This adds another important dimension to citizens growing demand of more involvement in decision making processes about science and technology issues in Italy. Article published by Valeria Arzenton on Nova24 – the scientific supplement of the business newspaper Il sole 24 ore. Data are available in italian here The Science in Society Monitor is an initiative by Observa Science in Society supported by the the Foundation Compagnia di San Paolo. The research supervisors are Massimiano Bucchi (University of Trento), Federico Neresini and Giuseppe Pellegrini (University of Padua), in association with Valeria Arzenton. The survey was conducted by means of CATI-method telephone interviews with a sample of 996 subjects, stratified by gender, age, and geographical area of residence, and representing the Italian population aged 15 and over.
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