The number of permanently employed lecturers in maths, physics, chemistry and engineering is falling, raising fears of a workforce shortage in these areas.
A report by Lifelong Learning UK shows that between 1995 and 2003 the number of engineering lecturers fell by 14 per cent, while maths, physics and chemistry all saw drops of 10 per cent. Other subjects enjoyed increasing staff numbers in the same period, but this was set against an overall 39 per cent rise in student numbers.