Science faculties at the end of the 20th century

It is easy to find evidence for the decline in student numbers of science faculties in the daily press, academic journals, parliamentary inquiries and other sources. Only three examples are given here, going backwards in time from 2004 to 1993:

Britain's ability to lead the world in applied technology is under threat because so few school leavers are signing up for university science courses.

This year's record number of A grade A-level passes mean that popular courses in subjects such as history and English have filled up almost immediately, with large numbers of well-qualified applicants turned away. But universities are reporting the number seeking places on science courses, such as chemistry, physics and engineering, could be the lowest ever.

...

The declining number of science students has already forced some university departments to close. There are 40 chemistry departments left in Britain, leaving most universities without any chemistry facilities at all.

The Royal Society has predicted that there could be as few as six chemistry departments left within a decade. Physics departments have also suffered. (The Independent, 2004)

The stark reality of the declining number of students choosing to study science at schools and universities has been brought home by organisers trying to organise this year's Siemens Science program at the University of Wollongong.

The three-day Siemens Science Experience program is aimed at Year 9 students entering Year 10 in 2000 and to date only 21 school students have applied with organisers hoping to attract at least 55 students.

For the Dean of Science at the University of Wollongong, Professor Rob Norris, the Illawarra situation reinforces a worrying trend he says is occurring across the whole science spectrum in Australia. (University of Wollongong, 1999)

"Sciences are learning facts from a book and not thinking for yourself; I wanted to express my own ideas and think for myself." (A level student quoted in New Statesman¹)

¹ This England. New Statesman and Society 17 September 1993:28. (McManus, 1994)

References

McManus, I. C. (1994) Editorial. Science in schools: decline and fall? BMJ 308, 284 - 285. http://education.independent.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=553864 (accessed 7 October 2004)

The Independent (2004) Declining numbers of science students hits home. 22 August 2004, http://education.independent.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=553864 (accessed 7 October 2004)

University of Wollongong (1999) Universities warn of disaster as students shun sciences. Press release of 26 October 1999, http://media.uow.edu.au/archive/oldbytes9/media/decline.html (accessed 7 October 2004)

home