19% Rise In The Uptake Of Third Level Science And Computing Courses This Year
Posted on November 20th, 2008 in Irish Science
The Higher Education Authority (HEA) has told us about new statistics which indicate a significant increase this year in the uptake of third level places in science and in computing. For honours degree science programmes, 2,958 students took up first year places this year, the highest number ever, climbing from 2,484 last year (a 19% increase). Honours degree computing programmes saw 1,005 students take places, up from 946 last year. This marks the first time since the Dot Com crash in the early part of the decade that the numbers commencing computing degrees have topped 1,000.
In a press release welcoming the new statistics, Tom Boland, HEA Chief Executive, said, “Ireland needs more top quality science and computing graduates to help shape the knowledge society that we are building. Students are becoming more aware of the opportunities being provided in areas such as software development, nanotechnology and biotechnology as well as wanting to explore issues such as climate change or the impact of online social networking.”
With fewer apprenticeships now on offer, the HEA anticipates that many who in the past may have left school early, especially young males, will now be encouraged to use their skills in the fields of science and technology.
