Germany remains way ahead of other developed nations in terms of the share of new students who choose to study STEM (science, engineering, technology and maths) subjects, the latest data show.

According to the Education at a Glance report published by the OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development), 40 percent of new higher education entrants in the country chose a STEM field in 2015, almost seven percentage points higher than Estonia, the next highest OECD country for which data were available.

However, the detailed figures, which for the first time have been broken down by broad STEM fields in the OECD report, show Germany leading only in subjects related to engineering, manufacturing and construction. In natural sciences, maths and statistics, the UK sees the highest share of new higher education entrants studying in such fields, while for information and communication technology (ICT), Estonia and Finland top the list. 

Andreas Schleicher, the OECD’s director for education and skills, says that one of the interesting questions that has emerged from the data is whether attempts by governments to try to boost industry and manufacturing — as in the UK — actually affects the choices young people make.

“On one hand, you have the UK talking about strengthening manufacturing and industry and that is not reflected in the choices that young people make. It is still very much geared towards academic disciplines. How do you help students make meaningful choices: do you look at the present, which is easy, or do you somehow incentivise change?” questions Schleicher.

The OECD data also show a huge gender gulf in higher education participation in STEM subjects. On average across the OECD, a mere 30 percent of new entrants who studied STEM subjects in 2015 were women.

(Excerpted and adapted from The Economist and Times Higher Education)