Degrees in STEM subjects like engineering, technology, computing, physics, maths and chemistry are currently failing to attract the same level of interest from women as they do from men, with a new study revealing that women make up less than a fifth of students in this subject area, as well as being less likely to receive first-class degrees than men.
Carried out by a team of scientists from Murray Edwards College, Cambridge and the Higher Education Statistics Agency, the research revealed some serious gender differences in degree attainment, with more than twice as many men getting first-class degrees in maths compared to women, The Boar reports.
It was also found that just eight per cent of female students achieved first-class degrees in computer science last year, compared to 32 per cent of men.
Interestingly, it seems that this trend isn’t just prevalent at higher education level, but also in the professional STEM world, as well. The study further revealed that just 14 per cent of professors teaching physics, maths and chemistry around the UK were women.
What’s more, for clinical medicine, anatomy and physiology (where 70 per cent of medicine graduates are women), they only account for one-third of the workforce.
Commenting on the findings, Dorothy Byrne – Murray Edwards College president – said: “The UK’s education system is failing bright girls and young women with the capacity to become the brilliant scientists, mathematicians and engineers of the future.
“Politicians have been talking a lot about maths recently. The Conservatives say they will introduce compulsory maths classes until the age of 18 and Labour promise improved maths teaching for younger children, but we also need action to bring equality for women in education in maths, physics and related subjects.”
The STEM education gender gap can be traced all the way back to school and there’s a notable dropoff in the number of women opting to study these subjects after GCSEs. Part of the issue seems to be a traditional viewpoint where students are misled into believing that these topics are better suited to men, which can be a deterrent for pupils.
