The AU team has completed the Danish part of the POIESIS focus group study, which overall explores perceptions of the science-society relationship and how institutions can provide policies and procedures that contribute to enhancing public trust in science.

In February 2024, project members Tine Ravn and Christina Løth Andersen conducted three onsite focus group interviews in collaboration with co-investigators Marianne Gauffriau, Mia Ulvgraven and Lone Bredahl. Across the three interviews, 18 professional stakeholders working in areas of research support, public engagement with science, research funding, science communication and open science discussed the current state of trust in science in relation to research integrity and citizen involvement within institutional and national contexts.

Participants highlighted a complex relationship between science and society, emphasizing increasing pressure on the legitimacy of both research performing organisations and researchers. Despite a general high level of trust in Denmark, and no distinct crisis of trust, the emergence of 'cracks' in public trust was identified and viewed as negatively influencing an increased politization and ideological instrumentalization of science.

Responsible research was perceived as a means to increase trust, with professional standards related to research integrity generally considered high. The global nature of research was seen as presenting both enablers and barriers to promoting a culture of research integrity. Participants recommended shared research integrity standards across institutions and countries and highlighted a set of principles and practices conducive to fostering research integrity.