The aim of this section is to exchange ideas and experiences from previous work and actions in this area. The first part will be devoted to an inventory in order to better describe the present situation at participating universities. The second part will be focused on the development of new ideas, directly focusing on how to bridge the gap between the secondary school and the university- aiming for new (cost efficient) models for cooperation.

1. Enhance the Attractiveness of Studies in Science
and Technology
Attracting students to studies in ST&E
education
WP7 Results
2012-10-04
Carla Patrocinio, Pedro Lourtie, IST

2. Summary
 Goals
 Participant Institutions
 Recruitment and Access System
 Initiatives
 Field Trials Results
 Good Practises & Recommendations
 Concluding Remarks

3. Goals

4. Participant Institutions

5. Recruitment and Access Systems

6. Recruitment and access systems: Calendar
Recruitment strategies differs in the application period.
Field trials development period had to be adapted to each country.

7. Initiatives
The initiatives were collected among the project partners between 2010/11 and 2011/12.

8. Initiatives: National Level

9. Initiatives: Institutional Level

10. Initiatives: Gender breakdown

11. Field Trials/Questionnaires
Questionnaires: entrant and secondary students
• Each partner had the freedom to adapt the questionnaire to its
own country provided that the minimum dimensions were
satisfied.
Specific topics for entrant students:
• Moment in time when students decided to undertake an
engineering program.
Specific topics for secondary students:
• Decision to follow tertiary studies, more precisely engineering.
• Chosen area of studies.

12. Field Trials/Questionnaires
Common topics of questionnaires:
Area of study in secondary education;
Parental background;
Effort required to undertake an engineering programme;
Perception of the engineering profession, in terms of the:
Importance for the country development;
Difficulty;
Pay level;
Recognition by the employers;
Access to the labour market.

13. Field Trials/Questionnaires
Sampling Process
All results presented take into account the students’ total.

14. Field Trials/Questionnaires
Results: Secondary Students

15. Field Trials/Questionnaires
Results: Secondary Students

16. Field Trials/Questionnaires
Results: Secondary Students

17. Field Trials/Questionnaires
Results: Secondary Students

18. Field Trials/Questionnaires
Results: Entrant Students

19. Field Trials/Questionnaires
Results: Entrant Students

20. Field Trials/Questionnaires
Results: Entrant Students

21. Field Trials/Questionnaires
Results: Entrant Students
21

22. Field Trials/Questionnaires
Results: Secondary who want to pursue an engineering
programme vs. engineer Entrant students
22

23. Field Trials/Questionnaires
Results: Secondary who want to pursue an engineering
programme vs. engineer entrant students

24. Field Trials/Questionnaires
Results: Secondary students who study S&T/E vs. Entrant
students’ perceptions

25. Field Trials/Questionnaires
Results: Secondary students who study S&T subjects vs.
Entrant students’ perceptions

26. Field Trials/Questionnaires
Results: Secondary students who study S&T subjects vs.
Entrant students’ perceptions

27. Field Trials/Questionnaires
Results: Secondary students who study S&T subjects vs.
Entrant students’ perceptions

28. Field Trials/Questionnaires
Results: Secondary vs. Entrant students’ perceptions

29. Field Trials/Questionnaires
Results: Secondary vs. Entrant students’ perceptions

30. Field Trials/Questionnaires
Results: Secondary vs. Entrant students’ perceptions

31. Stakeholders’ Recommendations
• Develop resources to support key influencers: guidance
counsellors, maths and physics teachers;
• Analyse on-going/successful initiatives to attract secondary
students to STEM studies;
• Identify best practices in recruiting/training teachers;
• Recognize the importance of peers as influencers;
• Explore the use of engineer role models;
• Explore the value of engineering as an “education” rather than
a “career”.

32. Good Practises
• Promote STEM courses among the youngsters;
• Support teachers training and development in S&T;
• Enhance women’s participation and role;
• Promote engineers role models;
• Increase general public awareness about S&T
importance.

33. Main Conclusions
• The overall picture of engineering significantly differs from country
to country.
• The opinion of female students tends to be in accordance with
male students’ views in secondary school, with the former more
pessimistic about the contribution of engineers to the country’s
development.
• The percentage of university entrants having chosen engineering
after 10th grade is higher than that of secondary students who
considered it after 10th grade. This suggests that students who
take up an engineering programme postpone their decision.

34. Issues for Discussion
• How relevant are the WP7 main objectives?
• Are the results consistent with your previous knowledge
about the students’ perceptions of STEM studies?
• Given the countries’ different realities, do you think that
using similar strategies to attract students is relevant?
• How may the WP7 results influence the decision making?
• What would you change in this specific work package?
• May the recommended actions have a positive impact in
attracting student to STEM studies?
• Do you have any other suggestions?

35. Thank
You