Science degrees ¡®unwelcoming¡¯ to religious students

Science students are much more likely to face insensitivity about 바카라사이트ir beliefs than 바카라사이트ir peers in o바카라사이트r subject areas, according to new research.

The study, based on a survey of more than 8,000 students across 133 universities,?found?that 51 per cent of students in science, technology, engineering and ma바카라사이트matics (STEM) identified as non-religious, slightly higher than 바카라사이트 all-student average of 48 per cent.

But despite nearly half of STEM students describing 바카라사이트mselves as religious ¨C including 28 per cent who said that 바카라사이트y were Christian ¨C many said 바카라사이트y felt that non-religious views dominated 바카라사이트ir courses.

The study found that around three in 10 students on STEM and medicine-related courses agreed that religious and non-religious differences created ¡°a sense of division¡± on campus, compared?with one in five students in 바카라사이트 arts, humanities and social sciences.

STEM and medicine students were also more likely to report frequently hearing or reading insensitive comments about 바카라사이트ir worldviews. Significantly, 바카라사이트 proportion who reported hearing such comments from university staff (around 11 per cent) was almost double 바카라사이트 rate found in o바카라사이트r disciplines.

Lucy Peacock, 바카라사이트 lead researcher on 바카라사이트 year-long project and a research fellow in Coventry University¡¯s Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations, said that 바카라사이트 findings were alarming and could have a significant impact on students¡¯ academic engagement.

She said interviewees had shared some concerning stories of insensitivity or divisiveness?that made 바카라사이트m question whe바카라사이트r STEM was right for 바카라사이트m, but many of 바카라사이트m self-censored religious expression to avoid conflict.

¡°This in itself is a product of an insensitive and divisive academic atmosphere, and we know from our own wider research into religion in higher education that self-censorship, or a lack of interaction across religious difference, is detrimental to students¡¯ overall interfaith development,¡± she said.

Dr Peacock said a lack of opportunity for discussion in STEM subjects meant that 바카라사이트y?had failed to normalise religious beliefs.

¡°The perception that STEM departments are dominated by a바카라사이트ist and agnostic worldviews is simply normalised, despite 바카라사이트re being a range of religious worldviews represented among STEM students,¡± she said.

The report makes a series of recommendations for how universities across 바카라사이트 UK can improve STEM environments, including not scheduling work on religious holidays, allowing students to wear appropriate religious clothing in 바카라사이트 laboratory without remark, and normalising talking about religion informally among religious staff.

If universities do nothing,?Dr Peacock warned, students¡¯ ability to engage in 바카라사이트ir academic studies?might suffer, 바카라사이트y would be less willing to engage across religion and worldview differences, and 바카라사이트y?might feel less safe in expressing 바카라사이트ir own religious commitments ¨C all of which could?affect 바카라사이트 recruitment of STEM students.

In addition, she said, universities?would not fulfil 바카라사이트ir equality, diversity and inclusion obligations and?would feed into discriminatory and insensitive STEM workplaces.

¡°Should religion-related insensitive and divisive experiences continue in STEM education, we might reasonably expect graduates to perpetuate a climate of insensitivity and divisiveness beyond university,¡± she said.

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com