Introduction

• The chemical sciences are indispensable for solving many of the major challenges of the 21st century.
• The UK needs a thriving chemical science community if we are to meet these challenges.
• The education system needs to provide a sustainable supply of talent into the chemical sciences.         

Provision of quality education in the chemical sciences at all levels is a key campaign aim of the RSC's Campaign for Chemical Sciences.

Our higher education system has seen the disappearance of a number of chemistry departments in recent years. Some universities have stopped teaching chemistry almost entirely, whilst others have chosen to develop broader science departments in which chemistry is a component. The RSC is concerned that the lack of a national strategy to maintain a broad presence of the chemical sciences in higher education will weaken the national science base.

RSC gets involved

The closure of the well established chemistry courses at Kings College London, Queen Mary College London, Swansea and Exeter represented a watershed for the RSC. From an extensive media campaign and government lobbying, the RSC successfully highlighted this issue and prompted the Secretary of State for Education and Skills to seek advice from HEFCE (Higher Education Funding Council for England).

Seeking solutions

Subsequently, HEFCE commissioned the Roberts Review of Strategically important and vulnerable subjects. Published in June 2005, this document defined these subjects as the laboratory based sciences including chemistry, areas of technology, engineering and mathematics (the STEM subjects) and certain languages. It suggested ways that HEFCE, in partnership with others, might support these subjects in order to improve their sustainability. As a result, HEFCE and the RSC signed a joint statement of interest, committing the two organisations to work collaboratively to secure a vibrant future for the chemical sciences in UK universities.

HEFCE then invited members of the chemical science community to bid for £20-30m of funding to support the chemical sciences in higher education over a 5-8 year period. The RSC coordinated a proposal entitled Chemistry for our Future and in March 2006, HEFCE awarded £3.6m to this 2-year, RSC led initiative. The project, started in September 2006, involves a range of partners from across the chemistry community, with the possibility of an additional £23m for a further 6 years dependant on progress and an additional £8m to roll out the scheme to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. More details of this project can be found on the Chemistry for our Future pages.

Continuing success

In November of 2006, HEFCE announced a further £75m of additional funding to support subjects which are strategically important to our economy and to society, including chemistry, which approximates to an extra £1,000 per student. This will go some way to alleviate the short term financial pressures on chemistry departments. However, it is the RSC's aim to secure funding which covers the full costs of providing chemical science courses in higher education in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland and we continue to pursue this goal.