Přístupnostní navigace
E-application
Search Search Close
21–22 October 2024, Brno University of Technology
Encouraging European Competitiveness through STEM Education
We live in a time that poses many challenges to our society. Security, competitiveness, self-sufficiency and Europe's independence from risky territories, strategic resources and technologies, together with environmental sustainability and ensuring the quality of life on Earth, are topics that increasingly fill the media space. Their importance is heightened by the tensions brought about by geopolitical developments in some parts of the world, particularly in Europe and the Middle and Far East. The energetic situation in Europe, the threat to the availability of critical raw materials and technologies, and climate change are leading to a search for appropriate solutions and a reassessment of relationships, concepts and approaches.
The EU is turning its attention to securing and developing technological and product independence in areas where dependence on supplies from risky territories can threaten and destabilise not only the economy but also the democratic principles on which modern societies are built. Environmentally friendly energy and energy sources, including nuclear, semiconductor technologies, but also, unfortunately, security and defence technologies, along with progressive technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, space and biomedical technologies, etc. have been added to the list of those whose development is conditional on further successful and secure social development. We are thus in a technological age. However, there is a growing shortage of the skilled, technically educated workforce called for by the industry. Ensuring the necessary capacity and structure of the technically educated population is a challenge for secondary schools and especially universities.
Despite the need, there is a lack of interest in education in the exact disciplines referred to as STEM studies, (Science-Technology-Engineering-Mathematics). The average share of STEM studies in all studies in the European Union is only 26.5% (OECD, Education at Glance 2023) and is declining over the decade, unfortunately even in industrialised countries. In a more detailed classification, TEM studies (Technology-Engineering-Manufacturing) account for 21.1% and EMC studies (Engineering-Manufacturing-Construction) for only 15.5%. In some fields, such as construction, the decline in interest in university studies over the last decade can be seen as very dramatic and is beginning to be felt in other technical fields, including mechanical, electrical and energy engineering. Growth over the last ten years has been recorded only in the field of information and communication technology studies, known as ICT, which accounts for 5% of the structure of all higher education studies in the EU27. There has also been a slight growth in science studies, known as SCI, with a share of only 5.3%, and a more marked decline in mathematics studies alone, MATH studies, with a share of 1.2%.
Responsibility: Mgr. Marta Vaňková