31/05/07 Schools science
CaSE today highlighted the importance of major reform to school science to provide the scientific and medical professionals of the future. In a letter to the British Dental Journal, CaSE argues that problems such as a shortage of teachers, a decline in practical work and teachers' need for more professional development are hampering the ability of the system to provide the raw recruits needed to train at higher education level to become the dentists and other professionals of tomorrow.

The text of the letter is as follows:

Nobody could disagree with Nairn Wilson’s plea to ensure that future dental professionals receive an education suitable not just to today’s world but in preparation for the challenges of the future (BDJ Volume 202, p.297).

However, in addressing the future of university-level education, we need to acknowledge that the UK has huge problems in its schools system, which risk cutting off the supply of youngsters with a sufficient scientific foundation to pursue a career in a rapidly-moving medical discipline.

A quarter of secondary schools have no qualified physics teacher, three quarters of schools are cancelling basic practical lessons (largely because of poor behaviour that puts safety at risk), fewer people are taking A-level biology than was the case a decade ago, and the country is short of about 3,000 mathematics teachers. Science teachers report a desperate need for subject-specific professional development to keep abreast of changes in their disciplines. The assessment system promotes a culture in which children repeat the same experiment over and over again until they can perform it like trained circus animals, rather than experiencing real learning through a variety of experiences.

Until this crisis is properly addressed, with ambitious targets for recruiting enough highly-trained teachers that specialise in the core disciplines of biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics, our ability to provide the right recruits for a cutting edge university education in scientific disciplines like dentistry will be compromised.

31/05/07 Hilary Leevers met with Joanna Thornton of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers

23/05/07 Higher education funding
CaSE was today pleased to meet senior staff from the English, Welsh and Scottish Funding Councils. At a meeting of Chemistry professors discussing research and teaching funding in universities, CaSE enagaged with Phil Gummett and Roger McClure, the Chief Executives of the Welsh and Scottish funding councils and John Selby, one of the Directors of the English funding council. "One of the things that is clear is that although there are differences, all the parts of the UK are struggling to ensure that there is really adequate funding for a truly world-class higher education system. Until UK Governments really admit we have a problem, it's difficult to see how the funding councils can do thejob that's expected of them," said Dr Peter Cotgreave, Director of CaSE, after the meeting.

22/05/07 Science in Wales
CaSE was today proud to be a partner in the Science and the Assembly event in Cardiff. "This event, which the Royal Society of Chemistry organises on behalf of the science community, is now a firm fixture in the annual calendar," said Dr Hefin Jones of CaSE's Executive Committee, "and today it was good that the meeting passed a resolution urging whoever ends up in Government following the recent election to appoint a Chief Scientist, something CaSE has been urging for years."

CaSE was the only organisation to produce material specifically about science policies for Wales in advance of the recent elections.

read more about CaSE's work in Wales

21/05/07 Research funding
CaSE was today pleased to hear the House of Lords discuss research funding. "This was a really crucial issue being discussed," said Dr Peter Cotgreave, Director of CaSE, "concerning how to ensure that a wide variety of institutions have proper research infrastructure without spreading resources so thinly that we starve the world-leaders of the money they need to thrive. As usual, CaSE briefed members of the Lords in advance, and we were pleased to hear a number of our points being highlighted during the debate."

21/05/07 Hilary Leevers met with Dr Richard Latto of the British Psychological Society to discuss policy issues, including the need for specialist training for psychology teachers

17/05/07 Nature Editorial
CaSE was today delighted to receive the support of Nature, one of the world's most infuential science publication. Commenting on the boost to science funding under Tony Blair, Nature says that CaSE and its predecessor, Save British Science, were the 'laudable exception' to the apathy of the science community in campaigning for science and engineering in the UK. The research community must do more for itself, Nature says, concluding "Now it should give its support to the Campaign for Science & Engineering".

16/05/07 Science careers
CaSE was today pleased to hear the Education Minister Bill Rammell announce new resources and initiatives to improve careers advice for science students. Dr Peter Cotgreave, Director of CaSE, said, "This is an issue we have been pressing hard on. We published a serious of recommendations just a few weeks ago, after a meeting sponsored by the Engineering & Technology Board and the Science Council. It's good to see so soon afterwards that the Government seems to be moving in our direction."

read CaSE's Opinion Forum on science careers advice

16/05/07 Science in Government
CaSE today urged Gordon Brown to enhance the place of science in Government once he takes over as Prime Minister. In an article in the Financial Times, case points out that the governmental partnership between Gordon Brown and Tony Blair has delivered much for science but that major challenges remain, especially in stimulating private sector innovation, in science education and in research funding. The article argues for a strong place for science within the Government machine, with a complete reversal of the way in which the Trade & Industry department views its role. "Industrial policy should be mainly about innovation, technology and science, with a minimum of central regulation," the article concludes.

read the article

15/05/07 Maths and science students
CaSE today warmly welcomed Gordon Brown's emphasis on science and mathematics education. Commenting on the parts of the Chancellor's speech about numeracy and science education, Peter Cotgreave, Director of CaSE, said, "once Mr Brown takes over as Prime Minister, he will no longer be able to devote as much time to his key interests, of which science has been one. So it's extremely heartening to hear him still putting science education high on his agenda. The Advisory Council of CaSE wrote to Gordon Brown earlier in the year on this very subject, and there were strong echoes of what they wrote in the Chancellor's speech today."

11/05/07 CaSE Members
CaSE was today delighted to engage with a wide range of its members at an Opinion Forum. Representatives of almost 50 different organisations, including universities, learned societies, global corporations and academic groups met to discuss policy priorities for the research base, science education, economic innovation and science in Government. "Our members are our greatest resource," said Professor Hugh Griffiths, "and we find it aboslutely vital to find out what policy areas are of greatest concern to them.

Some of the contributors to the discussion meeting.

03/05/07 Science in schools
CaSE was today delighted to hear an Education Minister being positive about attracting more people into teaching science. In a debate on science teaching in the House of Lords, peers were able to use briefing material provided by CaSE as a source to press the Government on the shortage of qualified specialist teachers, especially in physics and chemistry. Baroness Sharp, a Member of CaSE's Advisory Council drew attention to the misunderstanding in Government exemplified by the Prime Minister's statement that 7,500 new science teachers had been hired in 2005, when in fact the figure was for trainee recruits (of whom 25% drop out) and included all subjects in the the science, engineering, mathematics and technology group, which includes business studies, textiles and graphics. "The crisis of shortage of qualified science teachers is very serious," said Dr Hilary Leevers, Assistant Director of CaSE, "and it was heartening to hear the minister, Lord Adonis, say the Government intends to invest further in the golden hello and in bursary schemes, with a significant funding differential in favour of mathematics and science trainees".