IT skills decline puts UK research at risk

A new approach to computing education is needed

A decline in computing students is threatening UK research and the IT industry’s future, according to a review published last week.

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council’s International Review, commissioned by the BCS, the Institute of Engineering and Technology and Intellect, says the number of students studying computing in higher education has fallen by 40 per cent since 2001 and is showing no signs of recovery.

The BCS believes the situation will become steadily worse, and that by 2020 the UK’s pre-eminence in computing research is likely to be undermined.

‘In terms of quality of research at the leading universities we are number two to the US, but the impact of 40 per cent fewer students is bound to hit us over the next few years,’ said BCS president Nigel Shadbolt.

‘A third of students go into research and a crisis in computing will hit many sectors, including financial services and pharmaceuticals. People may say we are providing courses covering general IT skills, but we are not supplying the engine that provides valuable research.’

The BCS is working on a report that will propose closer liaison between government and industry to reverse the problem.

‘It is imperative to look at how we teach the deep aspects of computing in schools rather than ICT skills,’ said Shadbolt.

‘We need a roadmap and should get together with government and industry to help make computing more captivating.’

Jeremy Beale, head of ebusiness at the CBI, said: ‘There has been a big drop in computing students over the past few years and it is a major issue for British industry, which is reliant on IT skills along with business skills. It is a huge concern as we build a higher value economy.’

Beale says at the height of the dot com boom computing was seen as a great career path.

‘Now, students have seen their jobs outsourced or their skills are no longer relevant because technology is always changing, but people need to see that ICT skills are needed in lots of different sectors such as banking and media,’ he said.

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