Europe Faces Fuzzy Picture for Scientists

Thursday, 25 February 2010 | The Future of Education

The picture for young scientists across Europe isn't quite in focus.

Although some researchers and educators say the continent is falling short in nurturing young scientists as people heading to university show indifference in pursuing a scientific career, others have noted increases in funding and fewer young people heading across the Atlantic to the U.S. for scientific training.

Marja Makarow, chief executive officer of the European Science Foundation in Strasbourg, France, has observed a fall-off in people pursuing a scientific career.

"In Europe we are starting to see a decline in the number of young people wishing to have a university education and consequently of those wishing to embark on a researcher's career," she said. The foundation provides funding to scientists through 79 organizations in 30 countries.

Ms. Makarow says there are many reasons why young people lack the motivation to pursue a career in science.

"Learning is hard work, research [is] even [harder] and [it] requires a real passion to want to create new knowledge," she says. "The pay is poor, and in most continental European universities the career structure of researchers is unclear and unattractive."

According to Felix Garcia Ochoa, who is responsible for the financing of scientific projects for the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation in Madrid, Europe isn't nurturing as many bright scientific minds as it should. He says Spain has seen a decline in young people interested in science while funding has remained at relatively the same levels in recent years.

"As a professor in the field of science over the last 30 years, I have seen a marked decline in the number of students," he said. "Whereas before we would have more than 400 students in a scientific discipline, the number doesn't even reach 200 students now."

But, the U.K. has seen an increase in the number of young scientists actually receiving funding to carry out research projects.

According to official figures compiled by Research Councils U.K., which allocates around GBP 3 billion in research every year, the number of young researchers is up in the areas of medicine, chemistry and physics.

The total budget allocated to Research Councils U.K. has increased, too: to GBP 3.2 million for 2010-11, from GBP 2.7 million for 2007-08.

In the past, news reports have highlighted a growing concern among the scientific community over people leaving Europe to go to the U.S. for post-doctoral training, but that seems to be happening less now.

"Europe has recently put in place novel instruments to retain and attract excellent researchers in the continent," Ms. Makarow said.

"In recent years, prior to [U.S. President Barack] Obama, the policies resulted in researchers leaving the U.S. for Europe and elsewhere, which counterbalances any brain drain taking place from Europe to the U.S.," she added.

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