1. © Imperial College LondonPage 1 TECHNO TN FORUM 2007 Brussels, 4/5 May 2007 HOW TO ATTRACT STUDENTS FROM SECONDARY LEVEL TO SCIENTIFIC STUDIES

2. © Imperial College LondonPage 2 THE ROLE OF EUCEET SP9: Enhancing the attractiveness of the Civil Engineering Profession Focused on civil engineering; inherently biased towards those already interested Still gave some insights and useful indications This talk mixes SP9 outcomes and personal views to promote debate

3. © Imperial College LondonPage 3 WHY SHOULD WE DO THIS? Job Protection - Ours! Cultural and aesthetic questions Manpower and society needs

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5. © Imperial College LondonPage 5 SKILLS SHORTAGES Recruitment is difficult especially for some specialists Numbers might be OK but what about quality? EU Jobs magnet; builders, nurses, IT EU Ageing population

6. © Imperial College LondonPage 6 WHY DO WE HAVE A PROBLEM? Science, engineering and mathematics: difficult and boring Do young people know what scientists and engineers do? It means trouble; pollution, bombs, GM Perceived as low status (especially engineers?) Glamour is elsewhere; media, entertainment, Power is elsewhere; law, political studies

7. © Imperial College LondonPage 7 BUT WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES? Resources and sustainability; water, food Energy; solar, fuel cell, nuclear, reuse, saving technologies Climate change; understanding, preventing and adapting Disease; TB, malaria, HIV, ageing Drugs; benefit or profit? Spreading the benefits to all

8. © Imperial College LondonPage 8 WHAT IS TO BE DONE? Make the Challenges agenda meaningful to young people Make Science, Mathematics and Engineering integral to the culture Make the Professions worth striving for; don’t drop standards Have some self confidence; trends do change

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10. © Imperial College LondonPage 10 PRACTICAL STEPS - SCHOOLS The performance of school and of teachers; critical and difficult Better and stronger mathematics and science teaching Better explanations of the role of scientists and engineers. This to involve companies and external organizations Better and stronger links with Universities and the world of work

11. © Imperial College LondonPage 11 PRACTICAL STEPS - UNIVERSITIES Sharpen up teaching but avoid the gimmicks More creativity and a better balance between creativity and analysis More links with the ‘real world’; placements, case studies

12. © Imperial College LondonPage 12 PRACTICAL STEPS - ALL OF US Better information and PR for science and engineering Explain what we do and why it is important Role models; ellamy, Attenborough, etc Salaries; important, but not everything