Urgent Warning: Emerging Chemistry ‘Cold Spots’ Across the UK – What You Need to Know!

The closure of chemistry departments at UK universities is creating “cold spots” where students can’t study the subject nearby. The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) has sounded the alarm about this issue.

These cold spots are appearing in places like East Yorkshire and North Wales, where students must travel over an hour to find a university offering chemistry. For example, the University of Hull closed its chemistry department last year, and Bangor University shut down its chemistry programs in 2019. There’s concern that more closures could increase these cold spots, limiting students’ options even further.

Many universities have had to shut or merge their chemistry departments recently. The University of Bradford announced it would cut its chemistry courses in April. Cardiff University and the University of East Anglia are also making cuts, including faculty layoffs. Just a year before, Aston University closed its undergraduate chemistry courses.

Experts believe this trend reflects a wider crisis in higher education due to chronic underfunding. Jason Love, head of the School of Chemistry at the University of Edinburgh, noted that financial issues often hit smaller departments hardest. Chemistry programs are particularly costly to run because of their lab requirements.

The impact of these closures is serious. Katie Raymer-Woods of the RSC highlighted that students from lower-income backgrounds, who often live at home, face tough decisions about moving away for study. This lack of local study options could widen educational gaps.

Data from the RSC suggests chemistry jobs will grow by 6.5% over the next decade, much faster than the average across the UK. This increasing demand makes it more critical to keep chemistry programs available.

Jonathan Oxley from the Confederation of British Industry points out that companies are struggling to find skilled workers in fields requiring logical thinking, like chemistry. When local universities close, young people may have to leave the area for their education, losing local talent.

It’s crucial for businesses to actively seek ways to promote chemistry education. Reinforcing interest in the subject from primary school onwards could help cultivate future graduates.

The current situation raises important questions about how to maintain chemistry programs and address the gaps created by closures. As experts suggest, we must ensure that chemistry education remains accessible to help meet growing workforce demands.



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