Uzbekistan ranked third in the world in trust in science

Uzbekistan ranked third in the world for trust in science

According to the results, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan ranked higher in terms of trust in science than countries with major scientific centers such as the US, Great Britain, and France. Finland, Germany, and Sweden were also included in the top ten. Russia was placed in 67th position.

The ranking reflects the respondents' attitude toward science, rather than the scientific potential or number of discoveries of the countries. In some countries, the proportion of those expressing a high level of trust did not even reach 10 percent.

Researchers found no reliable evidence demonstrating a stable link between trust in science and scientific literacy. No clear correlation was observed between the average scientific literacy or government spending on education in a country and the level of trust either.

According to Wellcome data, in 2025, 72 percent of respondents globally reported trusting science "some" or "a lot." In 2020, this figure stood at 80 percent. This means that over five years, the overall level of trust decreased by eight percentage points.

This global indicator combines two levels of trust. The 63.8 percent figure cited for Uzbekistan specifically represents the proportion of those expressing a high level of trust.

In a discussion organized by the Harvard Global Health Institute, it was highlighted that distrust in science may be linked to social inequality, shortcomings in the operation of institutions, the spread of misinformation, and political polarization. Therefore, communicating scientific results clearly to the public and the reliable operation of public institutions were also noted as important factors in strengthening trust.