Fewer Germans take up chemistry degrees - group

14 August 2008 22:47  [Source: ICIS news]

TORONTO (ICIS news)--The number of students taking up chemistry degrees at Germany’s universities and polytechnics has dropped to 4,988, down 22% from a peak of 6,381 in 2003, a German chemists group focussed on education said on Thursday.

 

The latest numbers did not yet indicate a shortage of chemists, but more chemistry students were needed to cope with the challenges of the 21st century, said Wolfram Koch, general manager of Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker (GDCh)

 

Chemistry is needed as “problem-solver” in key areas such as energy and health, he said, adding that students in the field have bright career prospects in Germany and Europe in coming years.

 

Despite the decline the situation had improved markedly from the 1990s when the number of new chemistry students was as low as 3,000 per year, said GDCh.

 

Especially in areas such as food and bio chemistry there were now many more students than in the last decade, it added.

 

Also, the latest numbers did not seem to support an often-heard complaint that not enough students were training to become chemistry teachers, GDCh said.

 

With over 28,000 members Frankfurt-based GDCh describes itself as one of the world’s largest chemical socities for science, teaching and education.

 

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By: Stefan Baumgarten
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