Higher Education: Downturn triggers shortage fears

Abstract

Fewer students entered UK universities to study physics in 1990 than in 1989, but European interest in UK places is increasing, according to statistics released by the Universities Central Council on Admissions (UCCA)” . The 4.6% drop in physics entrants (134 fewer students) is a reversal of a steady increase that had been building from 2014 students in 1986 to 2902 students in 1989. Set against a background of government targets which look to enrol one-third of all young people in higher education by the year 2000, these figures raise familiar concerns over the future composition of the UK's graduate supply.