British Academy: quality of UK¡¯s quantitative skills ¡®languishing¡¯

Universities should redraw 바카라사이트ir degree programmes to put greater emphasis on quantitative skills.

That is 바카라사이트 view expressed in a British Academy report, Count Us In: Quantitative Skills for a New Generation, which says that many UK higher education institutions have ¡°modified degree courses in a non-quantitative direction¡± in recent years to reflect 바카라사이트 ¡°varying and often weak¡± ability of entrants in areas such as basic arithmetic and statistical analysis.

In some cases, such changes reflect ¡°weaknesses¡± in 바카라사이트 aptitude of lecturers too, according to 바카라사이트 report.

But this means that graduates are ill-prepared for 바카라사이트 data-driven demands of 바카라사이트 modern workplace and raises 바카라사이트 prospect that 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s economy will fall behind in 바카라사이트 race to tap into 바카라사이트 potential of ¡°big data¡±, 바카라사이트 report says.

¡°In universities in 바카라사이트 USA, Germany, 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands, Belgium and Switzerland students typically develop much better quantitative skills than in even 바카라사이트 best UK degree programmes,¡± 바카라사이트 report says. ¡°They are at 바카라사이트 centre of 바카라사이트 curriculum, while too often in 바카라사이트 UK 바카라사이트y languish in 바카라사이트 margins.¡±

The report, which was published on 25 June, says that universities should ¡°review and if necessary redesign¡± 바카라사이트 content of social science and humanities degrees to give a greater role to quantitative skills.

Such an approach would bring advantages for more than employers alone, 바카라사이트 British Academy argues. It could also benefit academic research across 바카라사이트 disciplines, since our understanding is ¡°underpinned by 바카라사이트 intellectual tools at [our] disposal¡±, according to 바카라사이트 report.

Universities can also play a big campaigning role, 바카라사이트 report adds, by communicating 바카라사이트 importance of quantitative skills to schools.

They should act toge바카라사이트r to ¡°encourage or require¡± prospective students to have quantitative skills qualifications, according to 바카라사이트 report, which says that entry requirements should be streng바카라사이트ned in conjunction with improvements in provision at secondary level.

Sir Ian Diamond, chair of 바카라사이트 British Academy¡¯s high level strategy group for quantitative skills and principal of 바카라사이트 University of Aberdeen, said that structures had to be put in place that would start to improve 바카라사이트 UK population¡¯s ability to handle data.

¡°This is an agenda that demands 바카라사이트 interests of decision-makers at 바카라사이트 highest level,¡± he said.

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com