The news that enrolments in science and engineering courses have increased this year is encouraging, but more work is needed to meet Australia’s future demand for high-end analytical skills.
“Maths and stats skills are increasingly needed to meet Australia’s aspirations as a high-end economy”, said Professor Geoff Prince, Director of the Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute.
These issues were brought to the fore at a national forum in February this year. The forum identified an urgent need for a concerted, multi-scale approach to boosting participation in mathematics at all levels in the education system.
AMSI is hoping that funding for such a program will be made available when the budget is announced next week.
“We look forward to working closely with government to make the public, students and parents, and, importantly, careers teachers aware of the role of mathematics and statistics in so many of today’s trades and professions”, Professor Prince said.
The Demand Driven System: Undergraduate Applications and Offers reports on the increase in enrolments in science (7.0%) and engineering (7.8%) courses, but does not discuss the uptake of specific disciplines within these areas that are critical to Australian innovation and competitiveness.
Mathematical scientists are fundamental to solving complex problems in a wide range of areas, but workforce numbers are declining. Demand for mathematics and statistics PhD graduates is tipped to increase by 55% on 2008 levels by 2020.
It is highly unlikely that there will be a 7% growth in students graduating with a major in mathematics or statistics, and even fewer will complete postgraduate study. This means that the new growth in undergraduate science enrolments is well below the rate required to meet future demand. The chronic shortage of school mathematics teachers will also remain a problem.
“Skills shortages in mathematics and statistics are too important to our economy and culture to be left unchecked”, Professor Prince said.
Contact:
Professor Geoff Prince, AMSI Director, (03) 8344 1779, director@amsi.org.au
Emma Bland, Media and Communications, (03) 9035 3683, emma@amsi.org.au
