042607 2 omslagen Engels 23-11-2004 07:26 Pagina d A publication of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science Production Leo Wijnhoven / Roeland Oevering Translation Eurotext, Leidschendam Design JB&A Raster, Delft Printed by DeltaHage, Den Haag Publication September 2004 Additional copies Postbus 51-infolijn, Tel. 0800 8051 (free) or www.postbus51.nl ISBN 90 - 5910 - 072 - 7 Price A 10,50 See also www.minocw.nl/english/education/delta.pdf OCW34.079/1000/08BK2004B023 -plan -plan .-plan science & technology Action Plan for tackling the shortage of scientists and engineers 042607 2 omslagen Engels 23-11-2004 07:27 Pagina IV 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:30 Pagina 3 Contents 0 Introduction 5 1 The Analysis 9 2 What do we want to achieve? 17 3 The action plan: approach to four areas 21 4 The Action Plan: “long stroke” (2005-2007) 27 5 The Action Plan: “low-hanging fruit” (measures 2004) 47 6 Measures and resources for science & technology 53 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:30 Pagina 4 4 Action Plan for tackling the shortage of scientists and engineers 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:30 Pagina 5 .-plan science & technology5 0 Introduction Our future lies in the knowledge-based economy. The knowledge that is embodied in employees whose training and work contribute to continuous innovation in products and business processes is becoming increasingly important. So too are the bearers of this knowledge, the knowledge workers. But structural shortages in knowledge workers are expected. This poses a threat to achieving the ambitions of creating a knowledge economy as endorsed in Lisbon 2000. To avert this threat, an integral approach is necessary. Integral - by taking interrelated measures in the field of education, the labour market and in immigration. Integral - in the manner in which educational institutions, employers and government together bear and take responsibility for these measures. The scarcity of knowledge workers is widespread. In view of our ambitions, especially in light of the shortages in scientists and engineers, we are banking heavily on the future. Because science specialists and engineers are crucial to the development and application of technological innovations and also play a role in many other sectors. Shortages in scientists and engineers can already be felt in the market, at research institutes and in government. This can be attributed, internationally, to a lack of interest in science and technology study programmes. Without additional policy measures, the lagging interest in science and technology courses will further decrease. The Cabinet has underlined the urgency of the problem in the Coalition Agreement. It states that the Netherlands must be part of the front line in Europe in the fields of education, research and innovation. For the strategy to be followed, a national Innovation Platform has been set up, chaired by the Prime Minister. A part of this approach is to promote the intake into and graduation from science and technology study programmes through, if necessary, unorthodox measures. Therefore, the action plan at hand - in addition to the current policy - is launching measures to interest more young people in studying S&T and pursuing a career in the science and technology sector. An important guideline for this is the objective endorsed in the European context of increasing by 2010 the number of graduates from advanced science and technology study programmes in the European Union by an average of 15%. For 2007, we estimate there will be a 15% higher intake in these study programmes, including more women. Making study programmes and professions in science and technology fields more attractive forms an important part of the approach. In the past, the necessary policy measures were taken to turn around developments. Although the experiences with such measures are taken as a point of departure, the entire chain is now being approached, which is unorthodox. This chain policy represents a cohesive approach throughout the field of education, up to and including attracting, keeping and utilising these knowledge workers on the labour market. Special attention is also being 6 Action Plan for tackling the shortage of scientists and engineers 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:30 Pagina 6 given to the “links in the chain”: the junctions between different types of education and between education and the labour market, where many potential science specialists and engineers take another route then S&T. “Bottom up” is another key term. Educational institutions, research institutes and employers will have to do it themselves. But this creative and innovative capacity must be stimulated and facilitated. The approach consists of four interrelated points of focus: 1. Attractive Education Throughout education, modernisation should be introduced that has two goals in mind: making education in science and technology more attractive and reducing the number of students dropping out of education. In this area, a lot can be learned from the experiences of the Axis Foundation. 2. Attractive Jobs Jobs in science and technology are losing power to attract. This is apparent from the limited number of young people that choose to enrol in a science study, but also from the decreasing number of people educated in a field of technology that hold a job in technology. The focus here is on providing attractive jobs with future prospects. Of course, the ball is primarily in the employers’ court. 3. Attractive Choices This line of action focuses on extra measures to persuade young people to make a positive choice for science and technology, closely co-ordinated with the previous two points of focus. We want to start experimenting with financial incentives and work towards improving the image of study programmes and professions in science and technology. 4. Attractive Settlement A way to make up these shortages in the short term is to attract and keep knowledge workers from foreign countries. To accommodate this approach, the Netherlands will have to remove obstacles to immigration. In the long term, as well, the Netherlands should be an interesting option for foreign knowledge workers and students. In developing these points of focus, we will concentrate on the mid-term (2005-2007), or a ‘long stroke’. This is characterised by the “anchoring” of successful reforms in the policy of government and institutions and by getting a reform movement off the ground in those fields where it is necessary. To get things on the move in the short term, a number of concrete measures will be launched in 2004, the ‘low-hanging fruit’. In 2004 the government will make 6 million euros available. For the 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:30 Pagina 7 7 .-plan science & technology years thereafter, an amount has been reserved that runs up to a maximum of 60 million euros in 2007 and following years. With this delta plan, the Ministries of Social Affairs and Employment (SZW), Economic Affairs (EZ) and Education, Culture and Science (OCW), in addition to making an analysis of the shortages in knowledge workers, will also provide the framework for an integral approach to these shortages. Thus a programme of action has been proposed - certainly when it concerns the contribution of education - for tackling the shortages in scientists and engineers in the years to come. But the government cannot do this alone. Only if everyone supports this approach and takes their responsibility within it, can it really be successful. The . represents three perspectives: • the urgency of the problem and the necessity for a national approach; • the difference: the actual changes that are necessary in education and on the labour market in order to change the negative image of science and technology; • the triangle of “government, employers and education”: each of them will have to do its part to achieve success. 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:31 Pagina 8 8 Action Plan for tackling the shortage of scientists and engineers 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:31 Pagina 9 9 .-plan science & technology 1 The Analysis1 1.1 Scarcity of Knowledge Workers Everyone that can make a contribution to the process of innovation is a knowledge worker. Knowledge workers consist of everyone that has a HBO (higher professional education) or university diploma and all others, commonly MBO (senior secondary vocational education) trained, that play a catalytic role in the innovation processes. The demand for knowledge workers is rising faster than the supply. In recent decades, technological change has led to a shift in the demand from lower to higher educated workers (“skill-biased growth”). It can be assumed that this shift will continue. It is expected that the increasing demand for HBO or university graduates will grow further each year in the period leading up to 2006: by 2.8% and 3.7% respectively. In contrast to this increasing demand, the growth of the demand for higher trained personnel will be levelling out, from 0.6 to 0.2 percentage points a year. The demand for expansion in MBO will increase by 1.8% until 2006. The prognosis for the period after 2006 shows a remarkable increase in the growth of jobs for MBO science and technology students. A source of concern here is the fact that the number of students in the MBO-4 technology study programmes is falling, while the standard for skill is increasingly fixed at the MBO-3 and 4 levels. Combined with an underutilisation of knowledge workers - many in jobs under their level or in other jobs - this has led to an expectation that there will be a shortfall of 120,000 knowledge workers in the mid term. On top of this shortfall will also be the lack of quality to meet the supply for the existing demand. The scarcity problem is therefore both a quantitative and a qualitative problem. The current dip in the economic climate does nothing to alleviate the shortage problem in the long term. These shortages are of particular concern in light of the ambitions that the government has, viz. to achieve a knowledge-based economy. If it wants to realise these ambitions, then measures must be taken as soon as possible that are aimed at reducing the structural shortage in knowledge workers. Particularly because it will take years before a new force of knowledge workers has been trained. This also means that measures are needed to tackle the shortage in knowledge workers in the short term. 1.2 Shortage in scientists, engineers and R&D specialists There is primarily a danger of large shortages in scientists, engineers and R&D specialists. These shortages are impeding the development towards a knowledge economy because scientists and engineers both play an essential role in research and innovation. More than three-fourths of the 105,000 R&D specialists in the Netherlands have a background in science or technology. People 1) For the basis of the analysis, see the background document “Zonder Kenniswerkers geen Kenniseconomie” [Without Knowledge Workers, No Knowledge Economy]. 10 Action Plan for tackling the shortage of scientists and engineers 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:31 Pagina 10 trained in technology fields are also needed at the middle levels to convert knowledge to innovation and production processes. Though tempered by the current economic situation, in recent years the signal was received many times that companies were finding it difficult to recruit engineers at different levels for a range of jobs. The public sector, too, is increasingly confronted by the consequences of the shortages: a lack of math teachers, scientific researchers and engineers is threatening to affect the quality of the public sector. The shortage of scientists and engineers also threatens to sap the innovative capacity in sectors such as agriculture and water management, public works and transport. Structural developments point to a growing demand for scientists and engineers. In recent years, for example, the demand for R&D specialists has risen by 2% a year. Facing this increasing demand is a lagging supply. The interest in science and technology studies is low and falling. Women in particular have little interest in enrolling in a science or technology study programme. The proportion of students in the total student population enrolled in science or technology subjects in the Netherlands is one-third to 50% lower than the proportion in countries such as Denmark, Finland, Sweden or Germany. In 2000, only 14% of Dutch students graduated in these disciplines, compared with an average of 21% in the OECD and the EU. In most EU countries, enrolments in the science and technology studies are on the rise. In the Netherlands they are falling. 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Number of science/technology graduates for every 1,000 people in the age group 20-34 (source: Third European report on Science and Technology indicators, 2003) IrelandFranceFinlandUKJapanSwedenEU-15SpainUSBelgiumDenmarkGermanyAustriaThe NetherlandsItaly 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:31 Pagina 11 11 .-plan science & technology 110 100 90 80 70 Relative participation in science and technology (index 1995=100) The proportion of students enrolled in science and technology has fallen in all sectors. Source: OCW budget 2004 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 vmbo34 mbo hbo wo The intake in MBO-4 technology study programmes is falling. The intake at the MBO-3 level has stabilised. Taken together, however, the demand on the labour market for MBO technology graduates is not being met. New ROA analyses2 also indicate that the expected future bottlenecks on the labour market with respect to people with advanced training in science and technology will be high. The Netherlands, therefore, must go to work to ensure that the total number of (female) science and technology graduates significantly increases in view of the ambitions for 2010. The supply of people holding a doctorate, an important potential source of (scientific) researchers, shows an alarming development in comparison with other countries. The proportion of doctors in every 1,000 working people in the Netherlands is almost half as much as the proportion in other EU countries - 0.34 compared with 0.56 in every 1,000 working people. The percentage of people holding a doctorate degree in the Netherlands is also falling by 5% per year. In other EU countries this percentage is rising. The low proportion of women among R&D staff in the Netherlands (15% compared with a 26% average for the EU) points to an underutilised potential. To gain greater insight into the decisive factors of success and failure in different countries, research is being conducted.3 2) “De arbeidsmarkt naar opleiding en beroep tot 2008” [The labour market by education and training up to 2008], ROA [Research Centre for Education and the Labour Market], December 2003 3) This research will be published in the spring of 2004. 12 Action Plan for tackling the shortage of scientists and engineers 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:31 Pagina 12 The supply of scientists and engineers is insufficient to meet the increasing demand4. For specific professions in technology, the discrepancy between supply and demand is even larger than average. The biggest problems concern the ‘hard’ studies in science and technology subjects. The scarcity in R&D specialists in the natural and medical sciences is of particular concern. Universities are already recruiting a significant number of their scientific personnel from abroad, partly because there is a scarcity in Dutch personnel. At technical universities, almost half of the research assistants are from other countries. One could wonder whether this situation can be maintained. Within a few years, universities will face large shortages in researchers in the fields of agriculture, science/technology, and health. Trade and industry will also face problems in attracting R&D personnel. A study conducted by Statistics Netherlands shows that a shortage in qualified personnel is the leading bottleneck for innovative companies. The availability of R&D personnel plays a major role for companies when choosing a location to set up operations. Foreign companies will not relocate their R&D activities to the Netherlands if there is insufficient personnel there. Dutch companies, such as in the chemical industry, expect they will have to relocate a part of their R&D activities to other countries, partly as a result of the personnel shortages. The small proportion of (scientific) researchers in the Dutch professional population is a problem, particularly since the demand for R&D personnel is on the rise. On top of this problem comes the Lisbon ambition: investing 3% of the GDP in R&D by 2010, two-thirds of which should be invested by trade and industry. In order to realise this ambition in the Netherlands, approximately 30,000 extra R&D staff are necessary, on top of the 105,000 that the Netherlands already has. Without extra measures, it will be impossible to meet these numbers. If in the coming years the government and trade and industry intend to draw attention to their strengths in fields such as life sciences (including genomics) and nanotechnology, then we will need more researchers in the areas of for instance the natural sciences and medical sciences. 1.3 Scarcity of knowledge workers: the causes To tackle the scarcity of knowledge workers, we must first ascertain the causes for this scarcity. A large volume of sources and studies5 point to bottlenecks in education, on the labour market and in the field of immigration. The main bottlenecks are: 4) The Central Planning Bureau will conduct a study in 2004 into the expected development in the shortages over the coming years and the manner in which trade and industry will deal with these shortages, incl. wage developments for scientists and engineers. 5) See “Zonder Kenniswerkers geen Kenniseconomie” [Without Knowledge Workers, No Knowledge Economy]. 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:31 Pagina 13 13 .-plan science & technology Education General The dropout rate and the low transfer rate in education are the result of insufficiently tailored courses and insufficient flexibility in the supply, as well as a lack of diversity and an insufficient interface between education and the labour market. Science and Technology The number of students that enrol in science or technology programmes is too low. There are three reasons for this: • students find science studies too difficult and too intense; • science and technology education is not attractive; • the negative image of professions in science and technology, partly due to a lack of role models for future researchers and engineers. Labour Market • insufficient flexibility on the labour market; • limited career opportunities for scientists, engineers and R&D specialists; • large numbers of people leave particular technical jobs, partly due to limited opportunities for personal development and staying up to date in their field; • universities have a negative image as an employer, this is due to poor working conditions and contractual conditions of employment (e.g. unattractive temporary contracts) and the lack of an effective personnel policy; • underutilisation of women and people from ethnic minorities in science; • limited mobility of knowledge workers between companies and public institutions of knowledge, such as universities. Immigration • slow procedures and high legal costs; • internationally speaking, insufficient number of recognised top study programmes and top institutions; • ignorance of the opportunities on the Dutch labour market and of the immigration and labour laws. 1.4 Conclusion The scarcity of knowledge workers and, particularly, of people that are trained in science and technology forms a problem that is impeding our development into an innovative knowledge economy. The challenge of making up the shortages in knowledge workers is being tackled by the government in a broad area: in the education policy via the HOOP memorandum (the Higher 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:31 Pagina 14 14 Action Plan for tackling the shortage of scientists and engineers Education and Research Plan) and the transfer agenda of the vocational sector. Due to their great social urgency, the shortages in the health care sector, the education sector and the shortages in scientists and engineers will be given priority to be confronted in the coming years. Although some policy measures have a wide-ranging effect, this plan is primarily focused in tackling the shortages in science and technology. The specific problem in fields, studies and professions requires a specific approach. The shortages are a long-term structural problem and therefore also require suitable long-term, result-oriented solutions in order to solve the bottlenecks in the areas of education and the labour market. In the short term, tackling the bottlenecks through the immigration of highly educated foreign nationals will offer some solace. In the long term, immigration is a good way to build up an internationally attractive research and knowledge infrastructure that has many international contacts and ties. 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:31 Pagina 15 15 .-plan science & technology 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:31 Pagina 16 16 Action Plan for tackling the shortage of scientists and engineers 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:31 Pagina 17 The goal is a knowledge economy in which more employees contribute to innovation. This will require a broad approach in which education, the (mobility on the) labour market and immigration play a role. Preferences and talents are developed at a young age and early in a person’s educational career. That is why measures should be taken in all phases of life, from primary school, where the foundation is laid for an interest in technology, to the course of a person’s career on the labour market. This broad approach, therefore, is the starting point for the delta plan - only then can fundamental changes be brought about. The effects of this broad approach will not make themselves felt until the long term. At the same time, we must use this broad approach in the short term to tackle a number of bottlenecks. To begin, the Netherlands will have to become attractive for foreign students and researchers in order to make up the shortages in companies and research institutes quickly. Secondly, it has been agreed at the EU level that a target will be set of 15% more graduates in the year 2010 from science and technology study programmes in higher education. It is an objective that seems to be far in the future, yet it means that in the medium-long term results will have to be booked. In concrete terms, this means that at the end of this Cabinet period (2007) we should see a clear increase in the intake6, an increase in the performance within study programmes and an increase in graduates. If we do, we will be on the right path to meeting the EU objective. To reach this objective, we will have to give priority to focusing on sectors and the transition between sectors in which significant profits can be achieved in the short term. In education, these sectors are higher education, and the transitions from MBO to HBO and from secondary education to higher education. Objective: more employees that make a contribution to innovation. Indicators: 1 More attractive, more differentiated and more popular education in science and technology throughout the sector, manifesting itself in a lower dropout rate and more graduates from the vocational sector and S&T university study programmes; 2 More attractive career prospects for knowledge workers and, especially, among scientists, engineers and researchers on the labour market. 17 .-plan science & technology 2 What do we want to achieve? Long-term objectives: 6) The intended increase in intake can be brought about by shifting the choice of studies or by new transfers. The latter, of course, has consequences for the student forecast. Objective: 15% more graduates from the higher S&T study programmes in 2010 than there were in 2003. Greater balance between the intake of men and women. Better international recruitment position for scientists and engineers. Interim objectives for 2007: 1 15% higher intake for 2007; 2 higher intake of women and ethnic minorities; 3 more foreign students and knowledge workers. 2.1 Target Groups 18 Action Plan for tackling the shortage of scientists and engineers Medium-long term objectives: 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:31 Pagina 18 The delta plan is focused on the (potential) knowledge workers in all phases of a career: from a pupil in primary school and the parents of that pupil to researchers and other working people that want to develop their competencies further. To tackle the shortage in scientists and engineers, different vital moments in the career can be identified when choices are made: the transition from primary education to secondary education; the choice of subject combinations in upper secondary education; the choice of studies in MBO; the choice of studies in higher education; choice of pursuing a doctorate, choice of a job and choices within the career. At every fork in the road, potential science specialists decide to go in another direction. So it is at these junctures that there are important opportunities for policy. A significant piece of information from these career junctures is the fact that the number of students leaving secondary education qualified in science (with a “Nature” subject combination) is considerably higher than the number of people that choose to take a science and technology study programme. The intake in HBO technology from MBO (now some 30%) could be increased. These “reserves of scientists” include many women and people from ethnic minorities, so here there is considerable - and growing - potential. Women and people from ethnic minorities are therefore important target groups for the approach. In the short term, foreign knowledge workers are an important target group. Educational and research institutions, as well as trade and industry are, in addition to the government, the most important players in the plan. They will have to work on making education and jobs for science specialists and engineers more attractive. 2.2 Achievement Agreements The objectives stated must be translated in the coming period into achievement agreements with the players involved. These agreements involve not only shortages on the labour market, but also the future needs of the knowledge economy. The reforms in education and jobs should correspond with the competencies that are sought in the knowledge economy and so does the choice of the study programmes that we target. For this reason, the agreements should fit in with the strategy the Innovation Platform develops. 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:31 Pagina 19 19 .-plan science & technology In the achievement agreements that will be reached in the coming period in higher education and the adult and vocational education sector, institutions can indicate what their contribution will be over time towards achieving the national ambitions. In primary and secondary education, an attempt is being made to reach long-range policy agreements in which the objectives for science/technology can be included. We will return to this in the policy documents Koers Primair Onderwijs and Koers Voortgezet Onderwijs [Course for Primary Education and Course for Secondary Education]. But the objectives concern more than education. The employers - trade and industry, research institutes - will be invited to indicate how they would like to contribute towards achieving these ambitions. The government will consult with the business community, including representatives from small and medium sized businesses, on this issue. The platform for science/technology (see pages 9 and 10) will further spur on the reform process that is a continuation of the national ambitions and the achievement agreements. Towards this end, the specific reform projects that are submitted to the platform will be evaluated in light of the national ambitions and the achievement agreements the government has reached with the institutions. The deployment of extra resources from the delta plan depends on the efforts made by the institutions to achieve the objectives. 16,0 15,5 15,0 14,5 14,0 13,5 13,0 12,5 Higher Education graduates in science/technology (Number (1000)) Explanation: the estimate (purple) is the student forecast for 2003. The increase of 15% was calculated in comparison with the 2000/2001 academic year because that is when the ambition was established in Bologna/Lisbon. There must be almost 800 more graduates in 2010/11 than the estimate indicates (policy-weak estimate 15211, target sequence 15999). That is why, starting in the 2003/2004 academic year, an attempt will be made to increase the difference with the estimate each year by 100 extra graduates from higher education study programmes in science/technology. 2000/012001/022002/032003/042004/052005/062006/072007/082008/092009/102010/11 Policy-weak estimate Target sequence 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:31 Pagina 20 20 Action Plan for tackling the shortage of scientists and engineers 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:31 Pagina 21 21 .-plan science & technology 3 The action plan: approach to four areas In recent years, a range of players have made considerable efforts and implemented policy in order to tackle the shortages. Particularly in the area of education, many actions have been taken to make technology and science more attractive, e.g. in the vocational sector, through the science covenant in university education and through the activities of AXIS. In the past, campaigns were launched to influence the choices young people were making - campaigns such as een slimme meid is op haar toekomst voorbereid [a clever girl is prepared for her future]. In addition to these large-scale programmes, countless initiatives were launched by educational institutions, associations and business. The activities of the business community are often aimed at a certain sector (e.g. the VNCI [Association of the Dutch Chemical Industry] for the chemical industry). The VHTO7 has gained expertise and built up networks around women in higher technology study programmes and professions. Technica 10 focuses on technology-based activities for girls in young age groups and has been successful in involving many girls from ethnic minorities. In many cases, it is still too early to draw solid conclusions about the effects of the programmes. We will have to build on very promising initiatives and the knowledge that is available. The picture that keeps emerging is that the entrenched nature of the problems is not amenable to being tackled through isolated and fragmented measures. To firmly tackle the bottlenecks in the areas of education, the labour market and immigration, the measures taken in these fields must be coordinated. Towards this end, the action programme consists of four points of focus that try to solve the bottlenecks in the areas of education, the labour market and immigration. In the fourth point of focus - attractive choices - a “flanking” policy is deployed to gain extra influence over the choices young people make. 1 Attractive education - the leading player: the educational institutions 2 Attractive jobs - the leading player: the employers (businesses and research institutes) 3 Attractive choices - the leading player: the government and the educational institution 4 Attractive settlement - the leading player: the government and employers In the action programme, stress is placed on tackling the shortages in science and technology. The focus point attractive settlement is primarily aimed at attracting foreign knowledge workers in the broad sense. It will also contribute to reducing the shortage in scientists and engineers. The involvement of trade and industry should be given special attention in all points of focus. From support given to and participation in science and technology communication, Jet-Net, Technocentra and the VTB [expansion of technology in primary education] programme, there seems 7) National organisation for women in higher technical education and positions 22 Action Plan for tackling the shortage of scientists and engineers 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:31 Pagina 22 Jet-Net Jet-Net (Young People and Technology Network in the Netherlands) is a joint venture between trade and industry (Philips, Shell, Unilever, Akzo Nobel and DSM), education, intermediary organisations and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Ministry of Education Culture and Science. Jet-net is focused on making science and technology subjects more interesting for pupils and teachers in secondary education. Via the national Jet-Net co-ordination point, schools can sign up to be linked to a company. The collaboration between the school and the company pertains to a wide variety of activities: company visits and practical training for students, company visits for subject teachers, the lending of materials (e.g. expensive microscopes lent by Philips, chemical kits lent by Akzo Nobel) to schools, help from a company for subject-specific projects, guest lectures, joint development of teaching modules by secondary schools, universities and companies, etc. Up to now, more than 80 schools have registered with the Jet-Net co-odination point. In the 2003-2004 school year, 50 schools are participating in Jet-Net. To be able to serve more schools, it is necessary to expand the number of companies. The match between company and school is done by the Jet-Net co ordination point. to be a growing urgency within companies and a willingness to invest financially. This momentum must be taken advantage of. 3.1 Platform science and technology The starting point of the action plan is for institutions of knowledge and employers to make education and the career prospects in science and technology more attractive. This in itself is not sufficient to get a broad-based movement going. Creativity that is born from the bottom-up should provide support, encouragement and be expanded. This should create a reform movement that leads to more attractive education and more attractive jobs. An “outboard motor” is needed for this: a platform with a face and mission that manages the crystallisation of the measures from the delta plan and advises the government. The government will retain final responsibility for the choice of measures and the deployment of resources. This platform, like the national Innovation Platform, must bring together the expertise and authority from trade and industry, education and research. In this way it can serve as the ambassador for the delta plan and work on shared commitment. This platform will be supported in its content and administration by an office. To retain the expertise of AXIS with respect to content, the staff of this office will be drawn from the current AXIS office. The platform works as follows. When it is adopted by the Cabinet and the Lower House of 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:31 Pagina 23 23 .-plan science & technology Parliament, this delta plan will be the first policy framework for the work of the platform. Each policy framework includes a concrete spending plan with measures. On the basis of this, the platform invites the education world to submit project proposals. The education world has to be challenged to submit joint plans: plans in which different educational institutions take part across the points of transition (secondary education-higher education, MBO-higher education, education to the labour market), in which employers are involved and in which, with the deployment of parties such as science centres, all lines of action are worked on. Another important criterion is for the parties involved to use their own resources. The platform advises the government concerning the projects submitted and the resources to be used. A part of the resources must also be set aside to cover what has been accomplished. Next the government, on the basis of this advice, decides on the final allocation of resources to projects. The science/technology platform is focused on the entire breadth of the delta plan and monitors the integral character of the approach over all lines of action and in all sectors. But overlapping with other organisations has to be prevented. Towards this end, an innovation/service point for technical vocational education has been set up under the existing platform of vocational education for the implementation of measures and projects from this plan in the vocational sector. This managerial relationship between the co-ordinating science/technology platform, the vocational education platform and this service point will be worked out in more detail. The objective is to have the platform fully operational by 1 July 2004. To prepare for this, a quartermaster will be sought as soon as possible for the new platform. In the meantime, AXIS will manage the current projects and prepare for the transfer of current matters to the platform. 3.2 Task of Government This set-up does not mean that the government will thereafter relinquish responsibility for the platform. The final objective of approaches that work is to fix it firmly - “to anchor it” - in the policies of the government and of the institutions. Through national achievement agreements with the institutions, the results sought after are guaranteed. The government plays an important role in this anchoring process, for instance in the changing of national frameworks and rules in order to introduce reforms. In the field of science/technology in recent years, a range of innovative initiatives have been launched, some through the support of AXIS. It is now time to reap the benefits of this and to expand the successful initiatives to other institutions and to anchor them in the policy. Removing barriers to immigration is also an ambition. It is too early for some ‘Axis’ projects to work on anchoring in the short term, because for instance they are still too limited in their set-up, they have not been experimented with for a sufficient period of time, etc. We have to make sure that very 24 Action Plan for tackling the shortage of scientists and engineers 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:31 Pagina 24 promising projects of this calibre do not fall between two stools. Here, in time, anchoring can be outlined as a prospect. This will result in more room to expand projects over several participants, getting a taste of partial reforms, etc. 3.3 Structure and Further Procedure In the chapters to follow, for each line of action the “big pieces” of the measures for the medium- long term (2005-2007) are described. These “pieces” will crystallise in the following manner. From 2005 the budgets for the delta approach will become larger. Starting in 2004 the Ministers of OCW, EZ and SZW will provide an annual update of the policy framework of the delta plan which contains the strategic choices, the concrete spending plan and the role of the science/technology platform in the next budgetary year. The Innovation Platform will be consulted on this policy framework. After the policy framework has been adopted in the Cabinet, the science/technology platform will consult the stakeholders in the education world about the measures in which they play a role in order to initiate and select projects. On top of this, the platform is writing a detailed recommendation to the government concerning the allocation of resources to projects. The government has final responsibility for the allocation of the resources. To achieve effects in the short term, a number of measures will also be launched for the following year. That is the “low-hanging fruit” for 2004 that will be highlighted in Chapter 5. 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:31 Pagina 25 25 .-plan science & technology 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:31 Pagina 26 26 Action Plan for tackling the shortage of scientists and engineers 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:32 Pagina 27 27 .-plan science & technology 4 The Action Plan: “long stroke” (2005-2007) 4.1 Chapter 1: Attractive Education Research8 has shown that many pupils find education in science and technology to be one-track, abstract and little focused on people. Even several recently organised focus groups around the delta plan confirm this picture. Pupils and students that have chosen science, have done so because of its pioneering and challenging character. If we want to have more people that are trained in science and technology, then education will have to focus on two goals: making science and technology education more attractive for more pupils - particularly women and ethnic minorities9 - and reducing the dropout rate within education and during the transition between the different types of education. To achieve this, education will have to focus more on the different needs of pupils and assist them in the processes of making choices: depth and challenge for the brilliant science students, breadth and social contexts for the generally interested pupil and all variants in between the two. It is important for pupils and students to keep their choices open for as long as possible. In recent years, the AXIS Foundation has increased our knowledge about these problems and launched initiatives in the area of education reform. The analyses of AXIS reveal the following key variables: • connecting with the preferences of young people • chain approach (connection between types of education and regional approach) ; • interaction between education, trade and industry, and education and the research sector • the teachers. Of all the factors in education, one sticks out as the most important: good and inspiring teachers in the science/technology subjects and education that stimulates the teacher to act as a source of inspiration. In recent years, considerable attention has been given - e.g. by Axis - to modernising the technology departments in the vocational sector (VMBO/MBO/HBO). It is time to anchor the successful initiatives. Money is now available for further innovations. For the medium-long term, emphasis is being placed on increasing the intake from MBO 3 and 4 levels into HBO technology. Further modernisation will be necessary to accomplish this. The overall picture is that in general education (primary education/secondary education/higher education), in particular, and the transitions between the sectors there are “gaps” in the approach. The movement towards reform still has to get off the ground there. 8) Example: Kiezen voor bèta in het wetenschappelijk onderwijs [Choosing science in university education], November 2001, research conducted by IOWO on commission of AXIS; Wie kiezen er voor techniek? [Who chooses technology?] December 2000, research conducted by SEO on commission of AXIS. 9) A study focused on the choices of women and ethnic minorities will be published in 2004. 28 Action Plan for tackling the shortage of scientists and engineers 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:32 Pagina 28 Current Policy Of course, the measures described below are not the only education policy that is linked to science and technology. There are many general policy measures that could have a positive effect on the objectives of this plan. Thus, in broader schools, learning inside and learning outside school are linked, which could make technology more graphic. In VMBO (pre-vocational secondary education) and the vocational sector, various actions are underway to modernise technology. In the coming years money will be available for general innovations. Thus in VMBO, programmes are being developed across the breadth of the technology field. VBMO schools are experimenting with the integration of general subjects or mathematics with vocational components of the study programme (e.g. mathematics within building techniques). For general policy in the vocational sector (Impuls beroepskolom [Incentive for the vocational sector]), A49.2 million has been made available structurally for VMBO, A31 million for MBO and A21.9 million for HBO. Furthermore, starting in 2006, A20 million will be available structurally for innovation arrangements. The transfer agenda in the vocational sector will be focused on expanding and anchoring the good initiatives in order to work on more results and graduates from the vocational sector. They should also lead to more transfers and fewer dropouts within the technical subjects. The technocentres bring together educational institutions and companies (over A9 million is structurally available for technocentres). The revision of the lower years of secondary education should also lead to a better continuous educational route from primary education to secondary education (the “warm transfer”), a better embedding of technology in the curriculum and more room for schools to draw attention to their strengths in the field of science and technology (A0.5 million was made available for general reforms in lower secondary school in 2004). Finally, the presence of inspiring teachers in the science and technology subjects is an essential condition for the success of the approach. Attractive employment conditions, the recruitment of unqualified teachers and strengthening the position of the school in the educational infrastructure so that HRM and educational reform can be in line with one another are important preconditions for the success of this plan. For the general teachers policy there is A71 million available in 2004, increasing to A272 million in 2007. Measures: • Expansion of technology in primary education In the VTB programme [Expansion of Technology in Primary Education], lesson material is now being prepared at 250 schools that provides concrete examples of technology, integrated in different learning areas. Trade and industry has been closely involved in this - i.e. by contributing to covering more than half of the costs. In 2004, the first phase of the project will end. The cofinancing provided by trade and industry will be very necessary in the coming years to launch further expansion. 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:32 Pagina 29 29 .-plan science & technology In 2004-2008 the programme will be continued in close collaboration with trade and industry, the Primary Education Teacher Training Colleges, the Inspectorate of Education, the CITO National Institute for Educational Measurement and the primary schools (VTB-2). Here the emphasis will primarily lie on the further development of products and concepts and the expansion of the programme through networks of schools (“expansion of the expansion”). This expansion will be supervised by the science/technology platform. All of this must lead to technology becoming firmly fixed or anchored in 2,500 schools by 2008. The goal is for another 1,500 schools to begin providing technology classes. In the short term (2004), the activities within primary education are aimed at quickly anchoring several aspects of technology in the national frameworks (see C5) . Starting in 2005 the networks of schools, Primary Education Teacher Training Colleges (PABOs) and regional trade and industry will be stimulated even more via the science/technology platform. The Dutch National Institute for Curriculum Development (SLO) will make an overview of the 200 teaching materials already developed as a helping hand to schools. The teaching materials will be realised and published nationally in consultation with publishers. In addition to the 11 existing regional networks, new networks will be launched (consisting of schools, PABOs and regional trade and industry) primarily aimed at experiments, the formation of networks and the availability of materials in the training centres of trade and industry. Schools that participate in a network will be supported approximately 1 day a week by a technology co-ordinator in order to be able to start projects and participate well in the networks. • Technology in the transition from primary school to secondary school The regional VTB networks will be expanded starting in 2005 with secondary schools, primarily to support the transition from primary education to VMBO and basic secondary education and to develop continuing learning routes through secondary education. The national process management in primary education will provide the assistance and monitoring. • Reforming science in secondary education The preparations for studies at a higher professional education institution and at university takes place to an important degree in the upper years of HAVO (senior general secondary education) and VWO (pre-university education). For this ‘second phase’ proposals for adaptation were recently made to the Dutch Lower House (letter of 4 December 2003). In the proposals, the choices open to pupils and schools are expanded and teachers are given significantly more scope, so that the science subject combinations become more attractive and better attainable for a larger group of pupils. For the same reasons, the size of the compulsory subject of mathematics in the subject combination of Science and Technology (now by far the 30 Action Plan for tackling the shortage of scientists and engineers 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:32 Pagina 30 largest of all subjects) is brought more into line with that of the other subjects (although it remains relatively large). All science subjects will be reformed, such that an important guideline will be to create more space in the programme for, among other things, an introduction to applications for these subjects outside the school. The proposals for adaptation will by 2007 provide space for the start of the reform of the science subjects in the long term. In anticipation of this, the reform should begin now from the ‘bottom up’. Until 2007, space will be provided for experiments: for reform at school level, for better coordination between mathematics and science at school, for collaboration with institutions outside the school (universities, higher professional education institutions, research institutes, companies, museums, etc.) and for presenting themselves as schools specialising in science (see www.technasium.nl). A point of attention for the government will remain the space and time for teachers to contribute to innovation. A clear distinction should be made between what is feasible in the short term, the medium-long term and the long term (see especially the letter of 4 December 2003). The transfer rate from secondary education to higher education is already high (from VWO to WO it is as high as 94%). The starting point of the reforms is therefore to influence the choices made for science and to improve the connection between the science subjects / subject combinations in secondary education and S&T study programmes in higher education, in order to boost the intake into the S&T study programmes in higher education. Collaboration with higher education is a priority in this. By forming networks between secondary education and higher education, work can be done on the exchange of teachers, the reform of education in conjunction, and improving information to help pupils choose a study programme. In the focus groups, too, pupils often say they would welcome more intensive contacts between secondary education and higher education. As an overture towards intensive collaborations in the field of education, these networks will be given a boost for 2004 (see C5). Parallel to these local networks, a structured national consultation should be set up between secondary education and higher education. This will enable agreements to be reached on mutual responsibilities that prepare the way for the establishment of reforms. From 2005 the reforms will be extended to the first years of secondary education. The review of basic secondary education will provide more space to anticipate the differences in levels between pupils and also provide the schools with more space to reform themselves and draw attention to their strengths. In addition to the pure exact sciences, other subjects can also be picked up to stimulate the interest in science and technology. In this effort, use can be made of the material produced in the project ‘Techniek in Nederland in de 20e eeuw’ [Technology in the Netherlands in the 20th century]. Co-ordination of this bottom-up movement will be the responsibility of the science/technology 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:32 Pagina 31 31 .-plan science & technology platform. The formation of “consortia” around projects in which the school works in a chain on reform and exchange (e.g. in conjunction with higher education institutions, trade and industry and science centres) will be an important criterion here. The Jet-Net initiative of trade and industry therefore is an excellent point of departure. • Higher graduation rate from MBO-technology In view of the role of MBO in the application and dissemination of innovative developments, particularly among small and medium sized businesses, it is important for the graduation rate from MBO to increase. A number of these graduates will have to transfer to the HBO technology study programmes (see below); other students will leave at the MBO level and contribute to innovations on a more supporting level. The performance within the MBO technology study programmes (levels 1 through 4) should therefore be improved. This means that more pupils should transfer into MBO and that these pupils should be kept within education so that they can then successfully graduate. The target values will be formulated in the achievement agreements to be reached with the institutions in the spring of 2004. One of the instruments is the further expansion and anchoring of the redesign (see below) of technical vocational education. • Integrated educational route for more transfers MBO-HBO technology. The intake of MBO technology pupils into HBO technology currently lies at some 30%. The aim is to increase this percentage. To achieve this, pupils must be better supervised and the alignment of the study programmes must be improved. To ensure this, in 2007 integrated educational routes in MBOHBO technology should be firmly fixed. Prior to this, the Regional Training Centres and HBO schools will have to enter into consultation concerning exemptions, and the government should provide space for this in legislation. The objectives for this are a continuation of the achievement agreements that are being reached with the sectors of BVE and HBO. • Firmly anchoring the redesign of technical vocational education In technical vocational education (MBO and HBO), very promising education reform and cross- sector initiatives (redesign projects) have been launched with the involvement of AXIS. The goal is to expand these reforms in 2007 to all institutions and to introduce the necessary changes for this into law and regulations to complete the anchoring process. The Platform for Vocational Education plays an important role in this. • Reform of Higher Education After signing the science covenant in 1998, the universities launched various initiatives in education reform. They programmed a broader base within the natural science disciplines and also developed new interdisciplinary subject combinations through the integration of basic disciplines with, for instance, the life sciences10. These new study programmes, with an interdisciplinary 32 Action Plan for tackling the shortage of scientists and engineers 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:32 Pagina 32 subject combination, have attracted many new students. This has sometimes occurred at the expense of intake into the traditional science study programmes, but at the Catholic University of Nijmegen the intake of exact science programmes has been increased across the board by a strong focus on secondary school pupils1 . Other “good practices” are the project Bètawaaier (Exact Sciences Review) at the University of Utrecht - which has shown an improved performance - and the transitional year for science students, which the University of Amsterdam has started to experiment with this year. This year students that, after completing VWO, do not have sufficient knowledge in science to enrol in a science/technology programme, are being offered the opportunity to take extra courses. In higher professional education, many things were tried in the previous period and put into practice to make technology more attractive; this included the aforementioned “Redesign” of study programmes. In the years to come, the final challenge will be to make these reforms in Higher Education a broad- based movement. The science/technology platform will direct a significant part of its efforts to supporting and expanding initiatives and stimulating further education reform in conjunction with the reform carried out in secondary education. Results should become clear in 2007. This can occur parallel to the proposals of the universities for the formation of critical masses. Recently, the general universities involved set up a joint “sector plan” for mathematics, physics and chemistry and the technical universities have an ambitious sector plan for reforming the technological sciences. In this plan, the universities have reached agreements on collaboration and clustering with respect to the master’s programmes that are being offered at each location and on coordination of the bachelor’s programmes so that students can much more easily transfer from one university to another. Institutions of Higher Professional Education have also recently introduced a sector plan for science/technology with concrete proposals for increasing the intake into and performance within the technical study programmes. Reforming science and technology studies in higher education - aimed at increasing the intake and the performance within the study programmes - is one of the important challenges of the delta plan. The science/technology platform will direct a significant part of its efforts to supporting and expanding initiatives and stimulating further educational reform in conjunction with the reform taking place in secondary education. In 2007 the results should become clear. 10) The Inspectorate reported in 2001 on the implementation of the science covenant; the concluding evaluation will be available at the start of 2004. 1 ) Evaluation measures for increasing intake, faculty of W&N of the KUNijmegen, AXIS, May 2003. This example has also been designated by the Inspectorate as good practice in its publication Good Example, 2002. 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:32 Pagina 33 33 .-plan science & technology 4.2 Chapter 2: Attractive Jobs A reform of science and technology study programmes in higher education that is aimed at increasing the intake of students and improving the performance in the study programmes alone is not sufficient. Nice and interesting jobs with good career prospects and employment conditions are necessary to offer students attractive prospects for the future and to be able to attract and keep science specialists, engineers and researchers in the labour market. And attractive and interesting jobs are not always for the picking. This is due, for instance, to the limited scope for personal development, limited opportunities to keep up to date in one’s chosen field and poor employment conditions. There are few career opportunities for specialists, continual development is often only possible via management positions. On the other hand, it seems that ignorance of job opportunities and the negative image attached to jobs in science and technology also plays a role. The Ministry of Economic Affairs has deployed the instrument called Arbeidsradars [labour radars] in order to offer trade and industry a helping hand and to gain insight into the shortage situation in specific sectors and/or professional groups. This instrument can also be used to shed light on the labour market in order to clear the way for investment incentives in key technologies. Altogether, it is insufficiently attractive for many knowledge workers trained in science or technology to work and continue to work in their chosen field of expertise, either as a researcher or otherwise. A necessary concluding piece for the approach is for employers to offer the prospect of attractive jobs with future opportunities. In the current economic climate, the retention of technical jobs and apprenticeship training places in the short term is vital for the image presented by the professions. The primary responsibility for this lies in the hands of employers in trade and industry and in institutions of knowledge. Still, the government also wants to play a promotional role here. It sees this role primarily in the area of employee mobility in the public and private research infrastructure. Mobility in the form of the exchange of employees between the private and public sphere of activity offers variety, a broadening of insights and new prospects. It is also a good way to make jobs more attractive and interesting. For this reason, interesting initiatives will be taken up and developed, in the framework of this delta plan and in consultation with trade and industry, to get the process of exchanging employees between public and private sectors off the ground. For the short term, the initiatives that already exist in this area may be used as a point of departure. For the long term, good insight into the significance of mobility in the knowledge economy and in the already existing practices in this field will be built up to give shape to new and farther-reaching initiatives together with the parties involved. 34 Action Plan for tackling the shortage of scientists and engineers 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:32 Pagina 34 Measures: 1 Employers should make jobs more attractive and at the same time work on providing good information on and improving the image of a career in the sciences and technology (for the latter, see 4.3). 2 Public-private mobility will be stimulated as a way to improve the career prospects and to bring variety into the work. Mobility also promotes the interaction and formation of a network between both sectors. 3 Finally, sufficient opportunities for schooling and training, and the broad-based employability in both the public and private sectors that it affords, forms an aspect of attractive jobs. Re 1) • Researchers: creating attractive research jobs In a general sense, employers should work on providing better conditions of employment and job opportunities for researchers. As the funder of researchers at public institutions of knowledge, the government can make its influence felt further for better research study programmes and jobs at the public institutions of knowledge. Research jobs at universities can in time be made more attractive by offering more space for young talent, women and ethnic minorities and realising a higher outcome for promotional research. Relevant achievement agreements are made with the institutions. The development of a top research master’s programme should also make scientific research more attractive. These top research study programmes can only be created if universities, faculties, research schools and trade and industry join forces and concentrate their activities. The very low number of people from ethnic minorities that transfer to a research job is an extra point needing attention. The government will give an extra boost to the recruitment of this “colourful talent”. • Engineers: creating attractive jobs in technology Companies should make jobs for technology personnel more attractive by offering good career prospects and a range of varied work by, for instance, job rotation within and between companies. Also, the relationships already existing between pupils, students and trade and industry in the form of practical training, dual training programmes and holiday work could be strengthened, for instance by holding out the prospect of an appointment in the form of a contract for a year on the completion of the study programme/graduation. • Specific: science and technology teachers The number of routes to the teaching profession in science is increasing. One such route is a provision for graduates in an exact science that have earned a bachelor’s degree. Starting in the 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:32 Pagina 35 35 .-plan science & technology autumn of 2004, the post-graduate course for science teachers will commence. In recruiting teachers and unqualified teachers, more emphasis will be placed on science and technology teachers starting in 2005. The government is also a large employer of scientists and engineers, e.g. the Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management and the Ministry of Defence. It is important, where those jobs are now under pressure due to reorganisations, to seek possibilities to deploy these personnel in other areas. Examples include the deployment of former technical defence personnel in primary education in order to make the subject of technology there more graphic. This not only keeps people in jobs, it also contributes to making technology more attractive. Re 2) • Promoting mobility initiatives: These initiatives can take different forms, but they are all aimed at promoting the mobility of researchers between the public and private sectors. They start by involving students in the current research of the departments. Not only is the research profession presented as a real alternative in this way, the study programmes also become more interesting for students. Following this, students and certainly research assistants can play a role in making science/technology education livelier at their former schools. A slightly different option is to involve research assistants not only in their past study programme but also in research conducted in trade and industry. These dual post-graduate trainee posts will also be encouraged. One step further are the “maintenance contracts” that give researchers in trade and industry the opportunity to keep their knowledge in public institutions of knowledge up to date. This is of course also possible in reverse. An interesting variation is the further training of teachers in trade and industry and vice versa. The exchange has a training character. For young researchers or research assistants, this can take the form of dual post-graduate trainee posts. Researchers could also be exchanged through work training placement. A scientific researcher in trade and industry could participate in commercial R&D and a researcher from trade and industry could participate in research conducted in a public institution of knowledge. These types of exchange projects enable researchers to gain experience in a different research environment. For the researcher at the beginning of his career, this provides a broader view of the field. For the researcher in a later phase of his career, it provides new incentive. The institution that redeploys the researchers can itself profit from the expertise that a ‘student on work placement’ brings with him when he returns and from the contacts that he has made. For the long term, these proposals should be further investigated in consultation with trade and industry. The experiences with and the set-up of the KIM project [Knowledge Carriers in the small and medium sized business sector] and international best practices such as the Marie Curie 36 Action Plan for tackling the shortage of scientists and engineers 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:32 Pagina 36 Fellowships of the EU and the French Cortech and Cifre system could serve as examples or guidelines. In addition to the manner in which the government could promote such efforts, a look should also be taken at possible legal obstacles that could impede the introduction of mobility contracts. • Research into the role and scope of mobility The Ministry of Economic Affairs will conduct a study into the mobility between public knowledge infrastructure and trade and industry within the Innovation System in order to reveal the size of the mobility flows. A look will also be taken into the importance of mobility for the economy. Re 3) • Training/Lifelong Learning Other ways to tackle the shortages include training working people in the science and technology sector and getting the ‘hidden’ talents in science among both working people and non-working people interested in training. Training opportunities also make jobs more attractive. In the Lifelong Learning platform to be established, the government, social partners and educational institutions will together investigate whether, in addition to the general measures taken to promote training, specific measures are needed that are aimed at the shortage in scientists and engineers. 4.3 Chapter 3: Attractive Choices Past campaigns have taught that they do not work in isolation. To influence young people to choose science or technology requires remarkable changes in the study programme and profession’s future opportunities. Only then can extra measures be taken to influence young people to make a positive choice for science and technology. These should not therefore be isolated measures, but incentives that are implemented as much as possible in conjunction with changes in the area of study programmes and jobs. A first line in this effort is communication, campaigns, etc. The current structure for Scientific and Technological Communication, including the science centres, plays an important role here and will focus more on the lines of action for this delta plan. In this way, the science centres will focus more on educational activities around science and technology. A second line is financial incentives. Research into the motives for choosing a particular study programme shows that pupils are primarily led by their own intrinsic motivation (interests and abilities). This does not take away the fact that extrinsic motivation also plays a role in the choice of a study. Extrinsic motivation could be the expectation of future reward, but on the negative side it could also very likely, and more probably, be the expectation that, by choosing a difficult science study, one is running a greater (financial) risk. On the basis of the available research, there are no simple conclusions that can be drawn with respect to the question of whether financial incentives 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:32 Pagina 37 37 .-plan science & technology can influence a person’s choice of study. Both positive and negative experiences are reported. Because there is no hard data available, we would like to begin, as a follow-up to the admissions policy, with several small-scale experiments involving tuition fee differentiation in order to make definite choices later on the basis of the experiences gained. The main thing to keep in mind is that the result is the main priority - so it must not be a matter of once-only offers that will probably only have a once-only effect. The result should be the successful intake of pupils and their completion of the study and successful entry into the labour market. That is why the experiments will focus on removing deficiencies so that the intake of pupils into science and technology can be expanded. This will be accomplished through the bridging period for science students. The study programmes (WO and HBO) have been selected based on the urgency of the shortages on the labour market and their contribution to the knowledge economy. It will also be investigated whether it is possible to make a provision to cover the study costs of science and technology students dependent on the number of years that the student remains in the profession. In addition to the chain approach, these experiments with financial incentives are the second line of content given to the “unorthodox measures” to tackle the shortages. Measures: • Improve the view of the labour market Trade and industry and educational institutions can now make young people more aware of the professional opportunities and prospects on the labour market. To accomplish this, companies can organise open-house days and work visits, and offer work experience placement, attractive second jobs and holiday jobs. Science centres too, including those centres in which trade and industry is involved, such as Nemo, can be used to promote a career in science and technology. OCW and the NAO [Netherlands Accreditation Organisation] can clearly delineate the cost-benefit ratio of study programmes so that young people have a better idea of the success rate of a science or technology study. • Make heroes of engineers and researchers Make sure that good scientists and technically trained people become Dutch Celebrities in order to inspire others to follow a career in research or technology. For the short term, the space mission of André Kuipers, which will take place next year, is a starting point (see C5). In the years to follow, this mission will be used to continually call more attention to space travel and science/technology. Other scientific themes and their accompanying role models can also be used. • Give scientific and technological communication greater focus Since the mid 1980s, government, trade and industry, educational institutions and research institutes have built up and financed an infrastructure for scientific and technological 38 Action Plan for tackling the shortage of scientists and engineers 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:32 Pagina 38 communication (such as the Science Centres, Stichting Weten [the Knowledge Foundation] (and WetenWeek [Knowledge Week]), and Technica 10 for girls). Such communication should primarily be focused on making young people aware of the role science and technology plays in, for instance, solving social problems and on showing them interesting professional opportunities in these fields. The science and technology infrastructure should be strengthened in the coming years and - in consultation with the other participating institutions - be focused more on the initiatives that are being taken in the framework of the delta plan. Especially for primary and secondary education, the opportunities that science centres and exploration areas offer are interesting. These centres offer extra curricular activities and learning packages for education. Companies can also ‘adopt’ schools. To support education, the Ministry of OCW has made the site “Knowledge Link” (Stichting Weten and NWO) possible, a Web site that gives Dutch and Belgian secondary school pupils information on a range of exact science subjects. This policy is successful and therefore deserves to be firmly anchored. The final decision will be taken in the policy response to the evaluation of the Stichting WeTeN just published. • Technostarters Graduates that start up their own technological company in which new scientific knowledge is applied - the “technostarters” - make an important contribution to innovation and at the same time provide an attractive example in the profession for scientists and future engineers. In the “Technostarters” policy, these forms of technology and innovation are further encouraged. The Dutch Lower House will soon receive a separate letter on this promotion. • Admissions policy: experiments with tuition fee differentiation and the bridging period for science students According to recent study conducted by SEO/SCO, the repeal of tuition fees could lead to an increase in the number of students enrolled in science by 7.5% in HBO and 5.4% in WO. Of all the measures studied, it is the most cost-effective12. These outcomes suggest that financial incentives can be very effective in influencing people’s choice of study. But other researchers have come to very different conclusions. More certainty can be obtained through a number of well-structured policy experiments. That is why the memorandum on Admissions policy “Het opschudden van de gelijkheidsdeken” [Shaking up the Equality Blanket], that will be published at the same time as this plan, proposes that a number of experiments be conducted in order to see what the consequences of the selection and differentiation of tuition fees are for the quality and accessibility of education. The plan is to test this first among a select number of science and technology study programmes. 12) SEO/SCO [Foundation for Economic Research/Association of Public Service and Education Trade Union Federations],: Kiezen voor bèta/techniek!, Thema 3, [Choosing science/Technology!, Theme 3], 2003. 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:32 Pagina 39 39 .-plan science & technology The goal of the experiments in science and technology is to establish whether a full or partial exemption from tuition fees or other financial incentives and/or a more liberal selection policy on the part of institutions would lead to a broader and more successful intake of pupils into science and technology. An experiment will also be initiated in which the more liberal selection policy is combined with a programme in which people that are interested in a science or technology study programme, but whose previous education is insufficient to enrol, are brought up to standard by participating in a programme specifically developed for this purpose - the bridging period for science students. This mirrors comparable programmes such as at the University of Amsterdam, and in Sweden, where a considerable number of women have been involved in this model. The duration and content of the programme depend on the abilities and learning goals of the candidate. To compensate for the extra study time required, a specific financial incentive can be included. The educational input must come from the participating institution. The government will decide which study programmes are to participate in the experiment. The future strategy to be developed by the national Innovation Platform can be an important guideline in the selection process. It is aimed at a very limited number of study programmes with the highest urgency in regard to the shortage on the labour market and the contribution they make to the Dutch knowledge economy. Furthermore, only those study programmes that make a concrete commitment to the reform and improvement of the education provided will be eligible. It should also be assured that graduates from the study programmes have a realistic expectation of finding a job. The experiments will be evaluated after two years (2006). The positive effects should be shown by comparing the intake of pupils with previous years and with comparable study programmes. Another perspective for the evaluation is the source of extra intake. Does it come from other science study programmes, from study programmes in other sectors or would students not have chosen a follow-up course programme at all had the incentive not been there? If the effects on the intake of students are found to be positive and desirable, then the decision as to whether the incentives should be extended to more study programmes in science and technology will be submitted for discussion by the Cabinet. Calculations reveal that, if it is decided to extend the exemption from tuition fees to 33% of current student numbers in science and technology, then the costs starting at A1.3 million in 2006 will increase to A32 million in 2013. This decision on the extension will be discussed in a future policy framework of the delta plan. • Research for the long term: SmartCard and coaching An option for the long term is a programme in which two things are combined: the coaching of pupils in secondary education and senior secondary vocational education/MBO (for the latter, see Chapter 5) and the building up of savings balances for the performance of useful activities via a SmartCard. These balances, saved in the previous education (MBO and secondary education) can be cashed in later by, for example, giving a discount on the costs of a subsequent study programme. Such a SmartCard concept could include other financial incentives, if proven effective. In this way, 40 Action Plan for tackling the shortage of scientists and engineers 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:32 Pagina 40 any compensation for the tuition fees or grant for the bridging period for science students could become the grant through which the savings balance of the SmartCard is paid out. Such a SmartCard can also play a role in promoting lifelong learning, since balances can also be tapped later on. The idea for this came out of the Connexions programme that was introduced several years ago in England. Although the goal in England was to reduce the dropout rate, the concept also provides possibilities for promoting S&T. Through the coaching and performing useful activities, this programme affects the intrinsic motivation of the student. The Jet-Net programme can be incorporated into this programme, for instance, but also activities within MBO. Because of the savings balance on the SmartCard, this programme affects the extrinsic motivation of the student. Firstly, further information will be obtained on the experiences in the UK. After that, a good feasibility study will need to be conducted. 4.4 Chapter 4: Attractive Settlement: immigration of knowledge workers At its installation meeting, the Innovation Platform ascertained that the removal of obstacles to mobility for the admission of knowledge immigrants is vital to strengthen the Dutch knowledge economy. After this, the Innovation Platform asked a workgroup under the leadership of Mr Breimer to draft a report that both describes the bottlenecks and offers targeted actions in order to remove the bottlenecks. This report, titled “Grenzeloze Mobiliteit kennismigranten: Hoe krijgen we het talent naar Nederland toe?” [Unlimited Mobility for Knowledge Immigrants: How do we attract the talent to the Netherlands?] was discussed and assessed in the meeting of the Innovation Platform held on 13 November 2003. This report is enclosed as an appendix. A summary of the report is presented below, followed by the standpoint taken by the Cabinet. I Summary of the report titled “Unlimited Mobility for Knowledge Immigrants: How do we attract the talent to the Netherlands?” In drafting the report, the workgroup chose the following approach. In a broadly representative workshop, representatives of scientific organisations, trade and industry, and the ministries involved were asked to delineate a jointly held ambition and to come up with solutions to remove the current obstacles. Based on the workshop, the workgroups worked out the problem analysis, formulated an ambition, a definition of knowledge immigrants and objectives, and grouped the actions from the workshop into four actions that are necessary to remove the bottleneck. The workgroup came up with the following problem analysis. Knowledge immigrants are not fortune-hunters, but are an essential ‘raw material’ for our knowledge economy both now and in the future. Compared with our neighbouring countries, the Netherlands is not performing well with respect to attracting talented R&D and scientific personnel and students. Procedures are often 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:32 Pagina 41 41 .-plan science & technology unclear for knowledge immigrants, they are also laborious and overly lengthy, and the costs are too high. To come up with an outline of the target group, the workgroup introduced the following definition of knowledge Immigrants: 1 Foreign students at institutions of higher education; 2 Foreign knowledge workers: Everyone that can make a contribution to the innovation process or science is a knowledge worker. Internationally, this group is designated by the abbreviation HRST, or Human Resources in Science and Technology. The HRST consists of everyone that has an HBO or university diploma and all others, often people with MBO qualifications, that hold a position in which they fulfil a catalysing role in innovation processes. This ‘broad’ definition of knowledge immigrants excludes 1/3 of the Dutch labour market. The lowering of obstacles for international knowledge immigrants that want to study or work at Dutch knowledge and research institutions and in trade and industry is effected via a demand-oriented approach, that is focusing on the HRST professions (students, scientific researchers, managers in trade and industry, etc., not on e.g. police officers or local civil servants). Trade and industry and institutions of higher education will recruit knowledge immigrants from abroad only for the positions for which they need people (to fill shortages or to gain specific knowledge). With respect to attracting knowledge immigrants, the workgroup describes the following bottlenecks: 1 A multiplicity of involved departments and services as well as the complex nature of laws and regulations make the problems a multi-headed monster; 2 Different procedures are insufficiently co-ordinated and streamlined; 3 Legal costs are much higher compared with surrounding countries; 4 There is a lack of information and a lack of access to the information that is available to (potential) knowledge immigrants; 5 Unjustified assumption that bottlenecks will recede when unemployment rises: irrespective of the economic climate, internationally oriented businesses and knowledge institutions are highly dependent on the international mobility of employees; 6 (Techno)starters and innovative small and medium sized companies are facing problems in attracting international talent due to high turnover criteria and income requirements; 7 Numerous operational obstacles, such as a too-narrow approach to ‘top’ knowledge immigrants in the Employment of Foreign Nationals act (WAV), the verification procedure for the documents of knowledge workers from five so-called problem countries, income requirements in admission procedures for trainees and students, the consequences of the introduction of the Bachelor’s/Master’s system for the students’ right to residency. 42 Action Plan for tackling the shortage of scientists and engineers 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:32 Pagina 42 The workgroup formulated the following ambition. “The Netherlands must be attractive to students and knowledge workers from within and outside the EU. This must be accomplished through fast and precise procedures and by adopting a cohesive interdepartmental approach with low thresholds and low costs - an approach in which knowledge institutions and companies are themselves responsible for the people that they bring to the Netherlands, in which consideration is given to the diversity in applications (students, guest teachers (and other temporary visitors), researchers, our own and new employees, etc.) and in which the information provided on the opportunities and procedures are clear and accessible.” The starting point for this is a demand-oriented labour immigration policy. Another important precondition is the prevention of abuse and fraud in the admission procedures. The objective of the workgroup is to improve the accessibility of the Netherlands for international knowledge workers by tackling a number of practical obstacles. This process will be successful if the Netherlands: • within two years, ranks among the top three in Europe with respect to simplicity, speed and precision in the admission of students, knowledge workers and their partners and with respect to the low level of the costs; • successfully builds an image over the coming years so that students, knowledge workers and their partners worldwide no longer see any obstacle to coming to the Netherlands in the procedures surrounding work, admission and residency permits. Based on the ambition, the objective and the bottlenecks, the workgroup has proposed four actions. These actions are: Action 1: Getting the Cabinet to embrace the aforementioned ambition: political will is the first requirement to break through barriers. When: December 2003. Action 2: Setting up one point of contact, one procedure and one document for all international knowledge immigrants. There is already an interdepartmental workgroup that is studying the potential of setting up a joint IND/CWI front office [IND: Immigration and Naturalisation Service; CWI: Centre for Work and Income] and the drafting of a single document. This workgroup should be expanded with important players from the educational world. The goal should be jointly to come up with an integral approach within 6 months by giving a powerful incentive to the implementation under a single management. This will also require political commitment. When: April 2004, workgroup reports twice monthly on the progress of the Innovation Platform. 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:32 Pagina 43 43 .-plan science & technology Action 3: Lowering the legal costs for knowledge workers and students, their partners and children. The Netherlands should be able to compete internationally with surrounding countries, where the legal costs are considerably lower. These costs can be lowered by attaching low legal fees to the document named under action 2 that are competitive with the legal fees in surrounding countries. When: spring of 2004. Action 4: Improving the provision and accessibility of information, as well as monitoring the quantity and quality of the intake, graduation and return of international knowledge immigrants. The EC promotes initiatives of the member states aimed at strengthening the mobility networks and the information provided via these networks (ERA-MORE). In this context, there is a current initiative to link together the different Dutch mobility centres by means of a Web portal. This project is being conducted on the instruction of the Ministry of OCW by the consortium Senter/EGL, Nuffic and VSNU. The Innovation Platform recommends that this initiative be supported. II Cabinet’s Position The Cabinet endorses the ambition established by the Innovation Platform and is grateful to the Platform for the speed and quality of the published report. The Cabinet shares the opinion of the Innovation Platform that the removal of obstacles to the admission of knowledge immigrants is essential. The immigration of workers in general is not an option for the Netherlands. This initiative pertains to a selective immigration of the knowledge workers that are necessary for the development of the Dutch knowledge economy. It pertains not only to top R&D specialists and ICT specialists, but also to engineers. The perception that the Netherlands is not performing as well as surrounding countries in attracting talent is a cause for concern. The Netherlands cannot afford to trail behind in the international race called “the battle for the brains”. To do so would damage the innovation capacity of trade and industry and undermine the scientific establishment. The Cabinet thinks that the government, trade and industry, and knowledge institutions each bear their own responsibility in this matter. The government shall remove obstacles that arise from the complex regulations and bureaucracy attached to the admission of knowledge immigrants, their partners and children. The proposed action to move towards setting up a single point of contact, a single procedure and a single document fits in with this ambition. A pre-condition for this is that abuse and improper use of the procedures have to be prevented. Once the new system has been implemented, the rules for exceptions adopted for certain types of knowledge immigrants, all of whom fall under the definition 44 Action Plan for tackling the shortage of scientists and engineers 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:32 Pagina 44 given in the recommendation, will be unnecessary. The unnecessary exception rules can then be rescinded if it does not worsen the situation. As stated in the report, an interdepartmental workgroup under the direction of the Ministry of Justice is responsible for the preparation of a joint IND/CWI front office and conducting a study into the implementation of a single document. The Cabinet reiterates this instruction and expects in April 2004 to see the start of introducing a single point of contact, procedure and document for knowledge workers, their partners and children. This proposal discusses the aspects named under Action 2 and meets the conditions given above. Prior to that, this workgroup will provide an overview of the pros and cons. The Cabinet sees no reason to expand the composition of the interdepartmental workgroup as the report recommends. But the Cabinet does find it necessary for the recommendation to be published in April 2004 to be supported by the stakeholders identified by the Innovation Platform from trade and industry and the field of science. Also, in the development, special attention will be asked for the position of newly starting small and medium sized companies -here there is much hidden potential and companies run into the wall of obstacles much harder (turnover criteria and income requirement). Next to the responsibility of the government, there is the responsibility of trade and industry and that of knowledge institutions. To prevent the occurrence of misuse and improper use, the government wants to reach firm agreements with and to receive guarantees from trade and industry and the knowledge institutions concerning the conditions under which knowledge immigrants, their partners and children can come to the Netherlands. Knowledge institutions and companies, as those demanding access to knowledge immigrants, should bear the responsibility (primarily focused on verification) for these knowledge workers, whom they need to strengthen the foundation of knowledge within the Dutch economy. Towards this end, we must study what agreements can be reached and what guarantees are necessary. The government would also like to reach agreements with respect to knowledge immigrants that, at the end of their employment, will potentially enter the labour market. These agreements should ensure that companies and knowledge institutions prepare the knowledge immigrant well to enter the Dutch labour market. Parallel to the implementation of Action 2, by April 2004 there should be clarity with respect to the commitment of trade and industry and the knowledge institutions to reaching the necessary agreements and guarantees. This other side of Action 2 is in line with the interdepartmental workgroup currently active under the direction of the Ministry of Justice. The government therefore will take the lead to reach the necessary agreements and guarantees as has happened at the Ministry of Justice. The Ministry of Justice acts with respect to companies and knowledge institutions in consultations with the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. With respect to lowering the costs of residence permits for knowledge workers and students, the Cabinet will follow the recommendation of the Innovation Platform to move towards the 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:32 Pagina 45 45 .-plan science & technology introduction of a single general document and the Cabinet will endeavour to lower the costs for this group. Lowering the costs will promote a level playing field in respect of our neighbouring countries. The Cabinet will in any case investigate, based on the cost study conducted by the IND, how this reduction of costs can be given concrete form in combination with the proposed cost- effective implementation. By April 2004, this should be clear. With respect to Action 4, the Cabinet will endorse the proposal to support the linking of the different mobility centres by means of a Web portal. The creation of a single information portal is a logical step next to the introduction of a single point of contact, one procedure and one document. The Cabinet will investigate the extent to which the point of contact can play a role in the quantitative monitoring and in the information portal of the qualitative monitoring of the intake and graduation of international knowledge immigrants. Finally, the Cabinet would like to ensure in the coming years, in addition to removing the procedural obstacles, that the Netherlands is given an attractive climate for innovation. People should be able and want to come to work here. You have received a first part of the agenda for the knowledge and innovation policy with the innovation letter. This agenda will be completed soon with the Science Budget and the Higher Education and Research Plan (HOOP). 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:32 Pagina 46 46 Action Plan for tackling the shortage of scientists and engineers 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:32 Pagina 47 47 .-plan science & technology 5 Action Plan: “low-hanging fruit” (measures 2004) The expansion and anchoring of the successful initiatives of the most recent period and getting the reform movement off the ground will take time. The budgets for the delta plan are also being built up slowly. It is therefore necessary to take a number of measures quickly that should be up and running in 2004. The measures concerned are specified below, as concretely as possible, including the resources that the government will reserve for the measures in 2004 and the progression to later years. Any increase of these resources in later years depends on further decision-making on future policy frameworks for the delta plan. The science/technology platform will play an important role in promoting concrete projects, initiatives and personal contributions from the parties involved in these measures. This concrete projects package will be submitted to the government for approval. 5.1 Chapter 1: Attractive Education Technology in the national frameworks of primary education In 2004, technology will be anchored in the national frameworks as much as possible. That means: • that the attainment targets will be adapted; • that the Education Inspectorate will study the extent to which technology can be integrated into the new inspection framework. For a study in this area, 0.3 million euros will be earmarked in 2004; • that the development of testing methods for technical skills in technology will allow students to make a positive choice. To this end, a structural inclusion of technology in the CITO final examination and pupil monitoring system (incl. testing of practical skills) is necessary. For this purpose, 0.3 million euros will be reserved in 2004; • promotion of PABO networks to anchor the study programme to become a technology coordinator in initial and subsequent study programmes. For this 0.3 million euros will be reserved in 2004. It is very important to bundle strengths within the VTB programme. The regional and national collaboration with trade and industry is particularly essential. These objectives of the VTB programme can only be achieved with the know-how of trade and industry, with the infrastructure and with co-financing. Collaboration with organisations that promote learning outside school (science centres, exploration corners, technological museums) will also be intensified. In the spring of 2004, a national action plan will be published with all parties involved for expanding technology in primary education. This assumes that starting in 2004 schools will form networks with PABOs and trade and industry for a period of 3 years. Each year new networks will be set up in an overlapping fashion. There is also a plan to launch 10 regional networks with primary and secondary schools in order to develop the continual learning line to VMBO and basic secondary education. Funding of these networks in 2004 will, in any case, depend on co-financing. 48 Action Plan for tackling the shortage of scientists and engineers 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:33 Pagina 48 Coaching for technology students in vocational education Extra attention is necessary for ethnic minority students in vocational education in order to recruit and keep “talented students” for MBO technology. In 2004 a pilot programme will start in which a maximum of10 coaches from the regional training centres or companies assist participants to successfully graduate in technology. For this, 0.5 million euros will be reserved in 2004. Via recruitment, supervision, the provision of a personal development plan and other coaching routes, and with the help of the coach, more pupils will choose technology or be retained for technology. The aim now is to decide in future policy frameworks on the expansion of the pilot programme and whether the coaching route can be embedded in the “SmartCard” concept (see pages 19 and 20). Redesign of Technology in MBO The AXIS Foundation has worked with the Regional Training Centres in recent years on a “Redesign” of the technology study programmes. For successful initiatives that are started on an experimental basis and which have demonstrated their profit for technology, obstructive rules will be scraped. The approach will be broadened in 2004 to include several institutions. For this, 0.5 million euros will be reserved in 2004. The increase that is necessary for the further expansion will be presented in future policy frameworks. Guide Projects for chemistry in secondary education A commission under the leadership of prof. Van Koten recently outlined a new chemistry programme for HAVO and VWO in a recommendation that should contribute to garnering greater interest for science studies among young people and give more attention to the connection of chemistry with physics and biology. Based on these insights, a number of projects will soon be launched. The reform measures will initially be focused on the third school year. In these guide projects, new initiatives of ‘designing’ teachers and initiatives from the chemistry field can come together. JetNet can play an important role in this. The plan is to expand the projects in 2005 and 2006 to include the subjects of mathematics, physics and biology. Initially, a limited number of schools will take part in the development: for each subject 2 to 6 schools. It is quite possible that, after the first phase of 2 to 3 years, the number of schools in which the new programmes are developed will be expanded considerably. This will result in new programmes that will be introduced for all schools around 2010. For this activity, 0.4 million euros will be reserved in 2004 and the years to follow. In the subsequent years, the amount could grow as a result of the larger number of participating schools and then decrease up to 2008. Expansion of the number of projects and schools depends on future policy frameworks of the delta plan. Pilot programmes for new integrated science subject In the discussion with the world of education on a desirable re-evaluation of upper secondary education in HAVO and VWO, a strong need was revealed for a new integrated science subject in 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:33 Pagina 49 49 .-plan science & technology which elements from mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology (and other natural sciences) are brought together. Such a subject would have to be structured in a modular fashion so that teachers or pupils would have considerable freedom of choice to realise inspiring education. The development of such a subject, including the pilot programmes and production of teaching aids, would require a number of years. Depending on the findings with respect to this subject, a decision will be taken on the position of the subject in the longer term. In the meantime, it will be included as a possible elective subject in the science subject combinations and, for now, will not be made a required subject. In the short term, the development of this subject will be started, including the provision of a number of pilot projects. Here, too, the development will take place only at a limited number of schools (approx. 4) and will gradually be expanded. The programme for this new subject could, if the experiences are positive, be introduced for all schools around 2010. For this activity, A 0.4 million will be reserved in 2004; if there is a positive decision on the expansion, the necessary investment will increase in the following years and end by around 2010. Establishment of Interdisciplinary Commission Taking up the recommendations of the Inspectorate and the KNAW [Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences], an interdisciplinary commission will be set up in the short term in order to provide advice on the cohesion within the two subject combinations of science/technology and science/health. The commission can be divided into two workgroups for the subject combinations of science/technology and science/health, respectively. The programme costs of this interdisciplinary commission amount to A 0.2 million starting in 2004. “Different” education Education in science and technology that is more attractive for more pupils means that secondary schools will have to provide more tailored structures and be able to better anticipate the differences between pupils. Schools can achieve this through structuring their exact sciences and technology education differently in combination with function differentiation and working in teams. Four pilot schools in secondary education will be given the scope in the 2004/2005 and 2005/2006 school years to experiment with this initiative. For this, A 0.5 million will be reserved in 2004 and 2005. Bridging period for science students This is explained under 5.3. Expansion of regional networks between universities/higher professional education institutions and education in the region In recent years, networks have been formed in projects such as “Studiestijgers” [study climbers] of the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, the ‘Bètawaaier’ [Exact Sciences Review] at the University of 50 Action Plan for tackling the shortage of scientists and engineers 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:33 Pagina 50 Utrecht and the ‘Nijmegen Bridge’ of the Catholic University of Nijmegen with secondary education, other universities and companies. The evaluations of these networks (see Chapter 4) have been positive. The expansion of this approach to several institutions will be stimulated by the government in 2004 as an overture towards more intensive collaboration in educational areas. The short-term goal is to have these networks created so that in the period 2004-2007 the collaboration between secondary education and higher education is improved and more pupils choose to enrol in a science/technology study programme in higher education. A condition for the allocation of funds is a collaboration between higher education and secondary education. 5.2 Chapter 2: Attractive Jobs By connecting to existing initiatives on this point (see 4.2), a start can be made in 2004 with launching a movement that must lead to greater mobility for employees between public and private institutions: • Thus, in consultation with the JetNet partners, a start will be made on a small scale with enabling teachers in science/technology to familiarise themselves with the practice and knowledge in trade and industry. • The idea of deploying research assistants in the classes at their old school will also be given flesh and blood, possibly in consultation and conjunction with the JetNet partners. • Finally, in consultation with trade and industry and knowledge institutions, experiments will be conducted with ways to exchange researchers between both worlds. For these initiatives, 0.5 millions euros will be reserved in 2004. In 2004, the post-bachelor course for science teachers will start. The costs of the study programme have already been covered in the 2004 budget. 5.3 Chapter 3: Attractive Choices Financial incentives, bridging period for science students and SmartCard The following three measures will be implemented in 2004: • Offering secondary education pupils with deficiencies in science a bridging period so that they can still choose to enrol in a S&T study programme. • Experiment with tuition fees differentiation and selection in a select number of S&T study programmes that have shown that, in the area of education, they are modernising and that students with a diploma in this study programme have a good prospect in the labour market. • A study into whether, in the long term, different educational initiatives and successful experiments in the area of ‘attractive choices’ can be integrated in a Smart Card concept. As explained in 4.3, the goal of the experiments is to ascertain whether there has been a positive effect on the intake of pupils. In the estimate of costs, a basis of 550 students was used for the experiments with the tuition fees differentiation. The experiment with the bridging period for 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:33 Pagina 51 51 .-plan science & technology science students was based on a maximum of 200 students over an entire year13. These expenditures have a provisional character: they are first spent in the context of a loan, only when performance is shown does the expenditure become relevant. The reservation of funds in the first years is meant to cover research and programme costs. Space Mission of André Kuipers and Science Centres In April 2004, the second Dutch astronaut, André Kuipers, will launch into space for a visit to the international space station (ISS). This national event will be used to bring science and technology to the attention of the public and to influence young people to choose to enrol in science and technology. An education programme has been developed around the mission of Kuipers in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA). This programme will be given a boost and be expanded in the years following 2004. In 2004, the programme targets children between the ages of 5 and 12. This group of children will be included in the years following, so that the plan in 2004 focuses on the age group of 8 to 15. It is vitally important to interest the teachers catering for this age group as well. As a part of the approach, Dutch science centres will also be called on to address space flight from their specific perspectives. So, for instance, Naturalis can focus on the biologically oriented research and the research conducted on the atmosphere. Nemo will focus more on the technology for space travel and observatories more on astronomy. The exhibitions are geared towards the target groups school classes and their teachers. Support via the media and other activities, e.g. contests, would be useful. For the activities surrounding space travel and the deployment of science centres, an amount of A1 million will be set aside structurally starting in 2004. Through the decision-making on the policy frameworks in later years, it will be decided what the increase of the amount for science centres and communication themes such as space travel will be. 5.4 Chapter 4: Attractive Settlement Obstacles for foreign talent should be removed. As a first step, ahead of the more structural measures, legal fees in 2004 have been lowered for foreign students. The funds for this have already been included in the OCW budget for 2004. To illustrate our international position on the market for knowledge workers, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Ministry of OCW in 2004 will start a study named “Battle for Brains”. It will be funded from the research budgets of these ministries. 13) The actual number of students will be higher because we are assuming it will take no more than 1 year to remove the deficiencies. 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:33 Pagina 52 52 Action Plan for tackling the shortage of scientists and engineers 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:33 Pagina 53 53 .-plan science & technology 6 Measures and resources for science & technology For four priorities, an amount of up to A 185 million has been reserved under the designation of “innovation” in the 2007 budget. From these funds, extra resources will be reserved via the Education, Culture and Sciences budget of up to A 60 million a year starting in 2007, in any case for the policy for knowledge workers, including scientists and engineers. It has also been agreed that the deployment of these resources - after consulting the Innovation Platform - will be definitely determined with the ministers of EZ and SZW. The attached chart shows the amounts for 2004 and the continuation of the amounts for subsequent years (see C5) . The chart also contains the indicated available total amounts for science/technology for the years 2005 and 2006, increasing to a maximum amount of A 60 million in 2007 and the years to follow. From these amounts, the continuation and any increase of the measures from 2004 must be funded, as well as the finalisation of the long stroke measures outlined in Chapter 4. To bring this finalisation about, starting in 2004 the government will provide an annual update of the policy framework for the delta plan that includes new strategic choices and the final spending plan. Consultation will be held with the Innovation Platform on these policy frameworks. After establishing the policy framework in the Cabinet, the science/technology platform will consult with the stakeholders in the field of education in order to initiate and select the projects. Following this, the platform will write a detailed recommendation to the government on the allocation of resources to projects. The government bears final responsibility for the allocation of resources. 042607 binnenwerk Engels 23-11-2004 07:33 Pagina 54 54 Action Plan for tackling the shortage of scientists and engineers (x G 1 mln) 2004 2005 2006 2007 Attractive Education Other form of testing technical competencies in primary education 0,3 Research supervision of Inspectorate 0,3 PABO networks 0,3 Guide Projects in Chemistry 0,4 0,4 0,4 0,4 Pilot projects of modernised exact science subjects 0,4 0,4 0,4 0,4 Interdisciplinary Commission and consultation with secondary/higher education 0,2 0,2 0,2 0,2 Coaches for technology talent 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 Expansion of technology redesign in MBO 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 Strengthening regional networks for secondary education and higher education 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 Different education 0,5 0,5 -- Attractive Jobs Research into public-private mobility 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 Start of post-graduate course for science teachers -- Attractive Settlement Lowering legal fees for foreign students -- Attractive Choices Science grants, bridging period and SmartCard research** 0,1 0,2 1,1 1,1-3,2 Communication and science centres 1,0 1,0 1,0 1,0 Subtotal 5,5 4,7 5,1 5,1-8,2 Equipment and implementation costs of platform 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5 Total 6,0 5,2 5,6 5,5-8,0 Available 6 14* 25* 60* * indication ** The resources for the financial incentives increase gradually because they do not lead to expenditures until years later. The resources in 2007 and 2008 amount to A1.1. million, in 2009 to A 2.1 million and starting in 2010 to a structural A 3.2 million. Resources for 2004 042607 2 omslagen Engels 23-11-2004 07:27 Pagina II Action Plan for tackling the shortage of scientists and engineers 55 .-plan science & technology