Repository: UIHistories Project: SWE - Proceedings of the First International Conference of Women Engineers and Scientists [PAGE 240]

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SYMPOSIUM ON DEVELOPING ENGINEERING AND SCIENTIFIC TALENT Statement by The Rt. Hon. Sir Edward Boyle, BT., M.P., Minister of State for Education and Science United Kingdom

There are few if any countries which do not need to produce more engineers and scientists. The United Kingdom is certainly not among them. As a densely populated small country, it has to depend for its living upon its skills and its ability to sell its products overseas. The technological basis of these products must be such that they are competitive in world markets. Because of the rather special position of the U. K. (perhaps paralleled only by that of Japan) the Government has paid great attention in recent years to the development of many more scientists, engineers and technicians. Since 1956 the achievement has been striking, particularly in the output of scientists. By granting additional funds and stimulating building the Government encouraged the universities and technical colleges to work towards doubling their output of professional scientists and technologists by the late 1960's. The results to date are impressive. In 1955/56 there were some 18,000 full-time students in science and some 11,000 in the applied sciences in universities. The total of nearly 30,000 has by now risen to 46,000 and by 1966/67 it will be 67,000. A decade from now, we hope within the total university population there will be over 80,000 students in pure and applied science. This advance has been paralleled within the technical colleges. Ten of the colleges doing a considerable amount of advanced work have since 1956/67 been nominated as Colleges of Advanced Technology and the number of their advanced students is nearly 12,000 compared with 4,700 in the base year. These Colleges are due under recent decisions to acquire University status and the facilities for full time and "sandwich" courses are to be expanded to 21,000 places. In addition, there are the 25 regional Technical Colleges doing work up to and beyond degree standard. On the other hand the over-all picture Is not fully satisfactory. Despite some improvement, the U.K. is likely to be lacking a considerable number of qualified scientists and engineers by the end of next year. The gaps are most apparent in the fields of mathematics, and electrical and mechanical engineering. One of the factors giving rise to this is a deep-seated attitude in this country in favour of pure as opposed to applied science. A recent study by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research brought out the fact that in Britain the school leavers of the top flight do not regard engineering as a sufficiently exciting subject for a career. So marked a bias is peculiar to Britain - when compared with other advanced countries - and the Government is using its influence in all ways possible, including continuous publicity, to rectify the position. The framework of Government policy in this matter was indicated recently by the Secretary of State for Education and Science, Mr. Quintin Hogg, as follows:"The function of Government in this field is not to usurp the functions of management but to provide the conditions in which management can function properly. VI-5