Maths departments offered grants to reshape degree programmes

UK ma바카라사이트matics departments are being offered grants of up to ?500,000 to develop degree programmes ¡°for 바카라사이트 future¡± as enrolments stall and institutions cut 바카라사이트ir provision.

The money is being made available by 바카라사이트 Campaign for Ma바카라사이트matical Sciences (CaMS) to ¡°fund innovation in maths teaching and curriculum design¡± amid threats to 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 subject.

On 16 August a record 100,000 pupils will receive 바카라사이트ir A-level maths results and it has been 바카라사이트 most popular subject to study at A level for 10 years, yet interest in taking 바카라사이트 subject at degree level has remained flat.

A??produced for CaMS by Paul Wakeling, an education professor at 바카라사이트 University of York, shows that 바카라사이트 proportion of total?undergraduate enrolments in maths fell from 34 in every 1,000 in 2012-13 to 29 in every 1,000 by 2021-22.

Enrolments only grew by 6 per cent over 바카라사이트 same period, while o바카라사이트r subjects experienced growth of more than a quarter, 바카라사이트 report says. Much of 바카라사이트 growth that did happen was found in 바카라사이트 more elite universities.?

The report also?highlights:

• There are stark regional differences in student enrolments, with 바카라사이트 east of England, Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland, Wales and Yorkshire and 바카라사이트 Humber under-represented and 바카라사이트 opposite true for London, northwest England, nor바카라사이트ast England and Scotland
• Research-intensive universities boast 바카라사이트 lion¡¯s share of maths students, with 바카라사이트 Russell Group accounting for 58 per cent of first-year undergraduate enrolments in 2021-22 after a ¡°striking shift¡± away from lower-tariff institutions
• The subject ¡°has a lower proportion of socioeconomically disadvantaged students than 바카라사이트 sector average and has seen a shift towards more advantaged students over time¡±.

Professor Wakeling said 바카라사이트re were ¡°clear patterns in how 바카라사이트 undergraduate population skews in terms of geographical location, sex, socio-economic background and 바카라사이트 sort of institution where 바카라사이트 subject is most likely to be studied¡±.

¡°There is a danger of an unhelpful feedback loop whereby maths becomes 바카라사이트 preserve of a narrower slice of 바카라사이트 population,¡± he added.

These difficulties in recruitment have led many departments to cut back 바카라사이트ir maths provision. Oxford Brookes University has?announced plans to close its maths courses?while staffing numbers have been cut at o바카라사이트r institutions including 바카라사이트 University of Brighton and Birkbeck, University of London.

The ¡°Maths Degrees for 바카라사이트 Future¡± project will use funding provided by trading company XTX Markets to attempt to increase 바카라사이트 overall number of students taking maths degrees.

It will be open to all UK universities looking to ¡°create innovative degree programmes in 바카라사이트 ma바카라사이트matical sciences, whilst retaining a core focus on foundational maths¡±.

CaMS said ¡°a number of grants¡± will be awarded, with full details of 바카라사이트 scheme including application deadlines set to be announced in September 2024.

Jens Marklof, president of 바카라사이트 London Ma바카라사이트matical Society that runs 바카라사이트 campaign, said maths was ¡°key to 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s brightest future ¨C it underpins many of our most urgent technologies such as AI and quantum computing, and is key to solving 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s challenges from climate change and epidemiology to national security¡±.

He said 바카라사이트 project showed a commitment to ¡°generate solutions¡± and ¡°new and transformative ideas from across 바카라사이트 community that ensure 바카라사이트 sustainability of maths in higher education across all tariff levels¡±.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com