Is scienceIs science still still attractive attractive toto students?students?

Is scienceIs science still still attractive attractive toto students?students?

Maija Bundule Maija Bundule

Ministry of Education and Ministry of Education and Science Latvia Science Latvia

Change of the number of students in Latvia (1990-2003)

126756

118845110500

10127089510

76620

6494856187

46696392603750041900

4630046000

0

20000

40000

60000

80000

100000

120000

140000

Proportion of women in different educational fields (%)

Educational field In total number of students

From those

obtaining a degree

or qualificati

on

Teacher training and educational science

84 89

Humanities and arts 78 82

Social sciences and law 65 70

Natural sciences and mathematics

36 55

Engineering and technologies 21 31

Agriculture 44 48

Health and social care 84 84

Services 56 29

On average 62 69

Age structure of researchers in Latvia

40-49 years 21,3%

50-59 years 36,6%

60 and more 33,4%up to 30

1,7%

30-39 years 7,0%

68105

18603

14568

9128

6725

4329

3225

2073

0 10000 20000 30000 40000 50000 60000 70000 80000

Social sciences

Teacher training andeducation science

Engineering andtechnologies

Humanities and art

Nature sciencesmathematics

Health, health and socialcare

Services

Agriculture

Number of students in different fields of study

Survey of last year grammar school students

• Aims of the survey– General interests of students– Prestige of different professions– Intention to study in university– Attitude to science

• At present only in grammar schools in Riga • Boys and girls ratio – 48%: 52%• Survey will be continued in other cities as well as

in rural areas•

General interests

• For girls:– Culture– Sports– Politics

• For boys– Sports – science and technology– Economy and finances

The most prestigious professions

• For girls:– Doctor– Scientist– Judge

• For boys;– Entrepreneur– Scientist as well as engineer

Attitude towards science and research

• Both boys ( 85%) and girls (71%) – had a positive attitude towards science– were sure that science contributes to

progress and economical development– our government should support

scientific investigations at much greater extent

Interest in own scientific career (%)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

YES NO Have notthought yet

GIRLS

BOYS

Survey of students in the University of Latvia

• Aims:– Students opinion about science and

research in Latvia– Intent to create an academic career– Interest to be involved actively in research

projects

• Received 954 inputs: 684 from female students and 270 –

Inputs received

29%

10%

29%

5%

0%

24%

2%

1%

Bachelor prof., 1 year Bachelor, prof., 2 year Bachelor, prof., 3 year Bachelor, prof., 4 year Bachelor, prof., 5 year Master programme , 1 year

Master programme, 2 year Master programme, 3 year

Study fields

23%

1%

43%

30%

2%

1%

Natural sciences Engineering Social sciences sciencesciencesciences

Humanities Do not know No answer

Opinion about RTD in Latvia (in general)

16%

64%

12%

6% 2%

Is developing Only some research fields are developing

No future for RTD Nothing going on at present

No answer

Do you plan to study in doctoral programmes

27%

14% 58%

1%

0%

Yes

No

Have not thought about this

Do not know what it is

No answer

Motivation for Doctoral degree?

16,51

23,4

41,28

38,08

31,1

19,04

1,6

7,41

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45

Highly rewarded job position

Studies abroad

High salary

Wide knowledge

Quick academic career

High image of scientist in society

Other reason

Do not know

Percentage

Do you plan to create your own academic career?

8%

36%

32%

24% 0%

Yes, certainly Yes may be

nēNo

Do not know No answer

Why Academic career ?

36,05

27,91

16,42

39,24

5,23

18,46

47,53

6,25

0,15

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

Interesting work

Not fixed working hours

Liberal working conditions

International cooperation contacts

High salary

Low salary

Hard headwork

Nothing special

Other

Percentage

What puts bounds for active research work?

12,21

7,41

43,17

4,22

14,39

19,04

40,99

12,79

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

Nothing, I am already involved

Not interested in research

Lack of time because of regular work

Lack of support from professor-supervisor

You cannot be independent performingresearch

There is an interest, but do not knowhow to star

Lack of necessary skills

Necessary literature not available

Percentage

Motivation for Active Involvement in Research Projects

3,92

8,72

32,7

7,56

6,98

5,09

25,29

45,78

40,12

61,05

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

None

Working with well-known scientists

Studying abroad

Attending conferences

Publishing of own work

Financial gains

Good salary

Valuable skills for future career

Applying skills gained

Deepening knowledge and skills

Percentage

Concluding remarks for grammar school students

• Still the image of science is high • Attitude regarding the scientists’ career

differs between boys and girls – boys are more interested in research

• In grammar schools predominantly there is a positive attitude towards science

• Needed more and wider information about science, researchers and their results in order to motivate students get more interested in scientific career

•

Concluding remarks for students from the University of Latvia

• There is a great interest about research work, doctoral studies and academic career,

• This interest should be supported and encouraged

•

Many THANKS for cooperation to

• Assoc.prof. Ausma Cimdiņa• Dr. philol. Ilze Trapenciere• Mg. Ingrīda Kalviņa• Bc. Solvita Kostjukova• Mg. Dace Rambaka