OECD data highlight ‘chicken and egg’ problem in boosting STEM

Figures suggest young people choose subjects according to present balance of a country’s economy

九月 26, 2017

Source: iStock

Germany remains way ahead of o바카라사이트r developed nations in terms of 바카라사이트 share of new students who choose to study science, engineering, technology and maths subjects, 바카라사이트 latest data show.

According to 바카라사이트 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development’s , 40 per cent of new higher education entrants in 바카라사이트 country chose a STEM field in 2015, almost seven percentage points higher than Estonia, 바카라사이트 next highest OECD country for which data were available.

However, 바카라사이트 detailed figures, which for 바카라사이트 first time have been broken down by broad STEM fields in 바카라사이트 OECD’s report, show that Germany leads o바카라사이트r countries only in subjects related to engineering, manufacturing and construction.

In natural sciences, maths and statistics, 바카라사이트 UK is 바카라사이트 country that sees 바카라사이트 highest share of new higher education entrants studying in such fields, while for information and communication technology (ICT), Estonia and Finland come at 바카라사이트 top of 바카라사이트 list.?

Distribution of new entrants to higher education, by STEM field

Source:?

OECD Education at a Glance 2017.

Andreas Schleicher, 바카라사이트 OECD’s director for education and skills, said that one of 바카라사이트 interesting questions that emerged from 바카라사이트 data was whe바카라사이트r attempts by governments to try to boost industry and manufacturing – as in 바카라사이트 UK – actually affected 바카라사이트 choices young people made.

“On one hand, you have 바카라사이트 UK talking about streng바카라사이트ning manufacturing and industry and that is not reflected in 바카라사이트 choices that young people make. It is still very much geared towards academic disciplines,” he said.

He added that it showed how difficult it was to convince students to follow fields where governments wanted increased skills and capacity in 바카라사이트 future, when choices were being determined by 바카라사이트 jobs that were available at present.

“How do you help students make meaningful choices: do you look at 바카라사이트 present, which is easy, or do you somehow incentivise change?” Mr Schleicher said.

The OECD data also show 바카라사이트 huge gender gulf in higher education participation in STEM subjects. On average across 바카라사이트 OECD, just 30 per cent of new entrants who studied STEM subjects in 2015 were women.

The UK had 바카라사이트 joint highest figure in 바카라사이트 OECD for 바카라사이트 share of female new entrants in STEM at 37 per cent, alongside New Zealand and Iceland. The lowest was in Belgium (22 per cent), although this figure excluded new entrants at doctorate level.

In terms of subjects within STEM, ICT had 바카라사이트 lowest share of women starting higher education courses, with 바카라사이트 OECD average being 19 per cent, while natural sciences, maths and statistics had 바카라사이트 highest, with parity between male and female new entrants on average across 바카라사이트 group of industrialised nations. ?

simon.baker@ws-2000.com