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LLP Project: ATTRACT” Enhance the Attractiveness of Studies

in Science and Technology ”

WP 7 - Attracting students to studies in science and technology /engineering education

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WP 7 - Goals

• Interest young people in Science & Technology and Engineering (S&T/E)

• Attract candidates to the higher education S&T/E programmes

• Balance gender representation in S&T/E programmes

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WP 7 - Phases1. Inventory of actions and practices2. Debate and generation of ideas3. Field trials/questionnaires4. Analysis of results

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1. Inventory of actions and practices (1)• Contributions on the basis of a report template• Recruitment and access system (based upon

Eurydice and partners’ contributions)– Selection at national or institutional level– Requirements for candidacy– Additional tests/exams/interviews– Selection criteria– Calendar of the process

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1. Inventory of actions and practices (2)• Institutional initiatives (partners’ contributions)

– By institution and associated organizations• Entity responsible for the action and partnerships• Aims• Target population, methodology and period of application• Results obtained

– Reports, studies and surveys– Gender situation

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1. Inventory of actions and practices (3)• National actions (partners’ contributions)

– Actions promoting S&T/E– Public image of S&T/E– School guidance

• Systematization of contributions: presented at the Grenoble meeting (13th and 14th January 2011)

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Recruitment and access system (1)

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Recruitment and access system (2)

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National actions

• In all countries: activitiesto promote science andtechnology and to attractstudents to these areas

• Similar aims: promotescientific and technologicalculture among youngpopulation

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Institutional initiatives (1)

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Institutional initiatives (2)

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Institutional initiatives (3)

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2. Debate and generation of ideas (1)• Grenoble meeting: 13th and 14th January 2011• Summary of issues:

– Few degrees of freedom in the choice of students– Little in common among partners concerning the

recruitment of students with different backgrounds– Significant degree of similarity of institutional activities to

attract students to S&T/E– Different calendars of access activities

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Tasks Year X-1 Year X

Activities Partners Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct

Recruitment/

activities

Aalto IST LiTH TCD Torino

Exams/Apllications

Aalto IST LiTH TCD Torino

Enrollment

Aalto IST LiTH TCD Torino

2. Debate and generation of ideas (2)

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2. Debate and generation of ideas (3)• Follow-up to the Grenoble meeting:

– Questionnaire to identify the reasons for choosing S&T/E programmes applied to 2 cohorts of 1st year students (2010-11 and 2011-12)

– Questionnaire or case studies of secondary students’ choices

– Address the gender issue in the questionnaires– Possibility of reaching the families of students

(considered not viable by most partners)

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3. Field trials/questionnaires (1)• Questionnaires:

– Draft questionnaires sent to partners (15.02.2011)– Adaptations by the partners of the section concerning the

secondary education system structure– 1 case study/interviews proposed– 1 comparison of questionnaires used

• Period for field trials/questionnaires:– 01.03.2011 to 30.10.2011

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3. Field trials/questionnaires (2)• Common topics of questionnaires:

– Area of study in secondary education

– Parental background

– Sources of information for choice

– Perception of importance of engineers– Perception of the difficulty of professional duties of

engineers, compared with other professions

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3. Field trials/questionnaires (3)• Common topics of questionnaires (cont.):

– Perception of the effort required by engineering programmes, compared with others

– Perception of pay level of engineers, compared with other professions

– Perception of importance given by employers to engineers, compared with other professionals

– Perception of ease of access to labour market

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3. Field trials/questionnaires (4)• Specific topics for entrant students:

– Time of decision of the engineering programme

– Factors influencing the decision

• Specific topics for secondary students:– Decision to follow tertiary studies

– Area of study chosen

– Time of the decision

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Challenges and obstacles• Differences:

– In national access systems and calendars– In attractiveness for S&T/E– Partners’ institutional motivations

• Limited capacity to change access system in many countries

• Insufficient response or timely response

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Involvement of stakeholders• Why:

– Identification of opportunities to attract students to S&T/E– Participation in institutional activities– Institutional participation in other organizations’ activities

to promote S&T/E• What:

– Professional associations– Student organizations– Business employing engineers– Organizations promoting S&T

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Timeline

Item From To

Report on inventory and practices

Draft July 2011

Final July 2011 October 2011

Field trials / questionnaires

1st year students 2010/11 June 2011

Secondary students June 2011

1st year students 2011/12 August 2011 September 2011

Analysis of the results October 2011 November 2011

Report on field trials / questionnaires December 2011 February 2012

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Final comments• There are large differences in the attractiveness of S&T/E

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Final comments• Reasons for the difference in attractiveness has to be

understood to support new institutional or national initiatives

• Analysis of questionnaires may give first insight into the reasons to choose S&T/E programmes

• Further in depth study of social/cultural reasons?– Comparing countries with high and low number of candidates for

S&T/E programmes

– Comparing countries with different proportion of gender imbalance

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Thank You