No quick fix for declining degree applications
A complex network of educational influences underlies why fewer students want to study chemistry at university
The UK and Ireland are facing a crisis in applications for degree courses in chemistry. Depending on how you view the data, there has been a drop of between 13 and 23% in applications. This is a persistent trend, not just a blip. Of course we’re searching for a solution, preferably an easy one.
Outreach is often suggested as a sticking plaster, viewed as an antidote to an uninspiring curriculum. While it may have some benefits like increasing the exposure of young people to science or providing them with role models, we already have a huge network of outreach providers from learned societies, universities and industry. Yet application numbers are still dropping, showing that the problem is far too complex for a quick fix.