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CaSE Diary

The Case Diary includes the latest information on our activites. The Diary archive, available via the links on the left, includes diary entries as well as all the information from our What's New section.

 

 

 

January 2005

27/01/05 Science in Schools
SBS was today delighted that its research results were being used to inform education policy in Scotland. During a question session in the Scottish Parliament, Alisdair Morgan MSP pointed out the shocking findings of SBS's survey of Scottish science teachers. "We were delighted to hear the Minister, Euan Robson, say that he had taken SBS's material into account," said Rosemary Davies of SBS, who conducted the original survey. "We exist to influence policy, and it's heartening to know that that's exactly what we're doing".

survey

 

21/01/05 Engineering Careers
SBS today highlighted the good career prospects for engineering graduates. In a letter to the Daily Telegraph, responding to a suggestion that studying engineering was a poor preparation for the job market, SBS pointed out that employment rates are higher among engineering and technology graduates than those who have studied other subjects. The text of the letter is as follows:

 

It is not true that employment prospects are “not encouraging” for students studying engineering (Telegraph, Jan 19). The most recent figures (for 2002-2003) show that after studying full-time for a degree, 58% of engineering or technology graduates went directly into full-time employment. For all other graduates, the figure was lower, at 55%. Among students who studied part-time at university, the difference was even more pronounced, with 79% of engineering and technology graduates going straight into full-time work, but only 56% of those who obtained degrees in other subjects. When students “read the market,” as your correspondent puts it, they will find that pursuing a science or engineering course at university will not only be stimulating, but will prepare them for the job market at least as well as studying other subjects.

 

19/01/05 Science in Schools
SBS today called for action to improve opportunities for children to undertake practical work in science lessons. In an interview for BBC Radio Scotland, SBS pointed discussed the implications of its surveys of science teachers in England and Scotland.

The surveys showed that three quarters of schools are cancelling practical classes, with behavioural problems and a lack of funding for equipment cited as the most common reasons.

 

12/01/05 Postdoctoral Careers
SBS today emphasised some of the problems with the career structure of postdoctoral researchers. In a talk to the Postdoc Association at Southampton Medical School, SBS highlighted the problem of short term contracts, the difficulties of funding postdoc research and the lamentably poor salaries of postdoctoral researchers.

"Postdocs hear that the Government is shovelling billions of extra pounds into the universities, but they don't see it affecting some of the things that really concern them. Since so much of the best research is done by postdocs, this is of real concern".

 

06/01/05 University Research Funding
SBS today warmly welcomed the Government's statement on funding of university research, congratulating ministers on the apparent increase in the degree of trust they place in researchers and administrators.

"This can only be good for science and engineering, if it translates into less micromanagent from the centre," said Dr Peter Cotgreave, Director of SBS, "Ministers have made it clear that they realise researchers are producing outstanding results, and it is the Government's own handling of the finances that has been one of the biggest threats to British science in recent years."

press release

 

03/01/05 University Science
Following a meeting wih the Higher Education Minister, SBS today set out some short term solutions to the crisis in university science.

press release

letter to the Minister