Over 100 experts from education, industry and politics gathered in London today to launch a project aimed at tackling one of the trickiest problems in mathematics.
The problem is to return the number of students studying mathematics at universities to the numbers they were in the 1990s – and then to increase this number to ensure that the UK workforce can meet the challenges posed by the knowledge economy.
The solution is a project called more maths grads. With £3.3 million from the Higher Education Funding Council for England, the mathematics community is launching its most ambitious drive yet to ensure there are enough mathematical
sciences graduates coming out of our universities in the next generation.
Sir Peter Williams, former chairman of Oxford Univeristy’s first spin out company – Oxford Instruments – and now chairman of the Advisory Committee on Mathematics Education said, “Looking into the future, I see mathematics virtually everywhere. It is the basis for many of our new industries, in communications, entertainment, finance and security. It will be key to solving the problems of climate change and new energy sources. This is not just about the survival of an academic discipline. Mathematics will shape our future like never before.”
more maths grads will target school pupils, their teachers and their careers advisers drawing on many of the excellent projects already working on promoting mathematics. Crucially, it will also focus on raising awareness of the importance of studying mathematics and the opportunities it can open up to ethnic and social groups who haven’t traditionally been involved in this subject.
Professor Celia Hoyles, Chief Adviser for Mathematics at the Department for Education and Skills said mathematics remains at the heart of the government’s education agenda. She added, “There are clear Government ambitions to boost substantially the number of mathematics A level entries, to increase the number of specialist mathematics teachers, to inject challenge and applicability into the curriculum and to promote continuing professional development for all teachers of mathematics.”
The launch marked the beginning of an intensive three year programme of activities, which will involve universities and schools in three regions: East London, Coventry and Yorkshire & Humberside. more maths grads will draw on the many excellent local projects already in place to promote mathematics, in particular working closely with the National Centre for Excellence in Teaching Mathematics. The intention is to establish the project on a sustainable footing to then roll it out to six more areas in England and then further afield.
ENDS
Notes for Editors
For further information contact:
Helen Orr
more maths grads project manager
E-mail: h.m.orr@bham.ac.uk
Mobile: 07900 137488
Office: 0121 414 8798
To arrange interviews with speakers contact:
Caroline Davis
Mathematics policy and promotion officer
E-mail: caroline.davis@lms.ac.uk
Office: 020 7927 0804
The project was devised by a consortium of mathematical organisations: the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications, the London Mathematical Society, the Royal Statistical Society, the Heads of Departments of Mathematical Sciences and the Higher Education Academy – Mathematics, Statistics & Operational Research Network. It is funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England.
The project website is at www.moremathsgrads.org.uk
