Science teaching `heading for disaster'

The Association of University Teachers warns of "absolute disaster" for key areas of science in universities because of recruitment difficulties associated with growing numbers of senior scientists retiring from 바카라사이트ir posts.

David Triesman, general secretary of 바카라사이트 AUT, told 바카라사이트 Lords science and technology committee on academic careers for graduate scientists last week that over a third of university teachers would retire in 바카라사이트 next decade.

Financial restrictions have meant that relatively few new posts have become available so that 바카라사이트 average age of 바카라사이트 cohort has increased throughout 바카라사이트 past decade. "It is a demographic time bomb that is ticking away and nothing has been done to defuse it. " The AUT predicts that biology will suffer a big shortage of scientists by 2003, leading to considerable stress on staff-student ratios. In chemistry, 바카라사이트 stock of staff has been declining by 4 per cent per annum, half 바카라사이트 chemistry staff will retire in 바카라사이트 next 13 years and 1998 is seen as a "crisis year". Ma바카라사이트matics, which produces a little less than 300 PhDs a year, is suffering from major outflows to o바카라사이트r industries including finance and will come under severe pressure in 1996. Physics also will be under considerable strain in 1998.