Dr. Richard Pike, CEO of the Royal Society of Chemistry, has criticized the government’s allocation of funds towards degrees deemed as “Mickey Mouse” and called for a redirection of these funds towards scientific research. Pike disapproved of degrees such as celebrity journalism, drama infused with waste management, and international football business management, suggesting they should be eradicated altogether. In light of the government’s efforts to make savings of £600m in the higher education sector by 2013, including in science and research budgets, Pike is concerned that these cuts may have the potential to result in the closure of science courses as they remain the most costly. Rather than meeting an “ephemeral demand that in 10 years’ time will be viewed as a curiosity”, Pike suggests that degree programs should align with the challenges that countries will face in the future. Future challenges may include developments in research for Alzheimer’s, alternative energy sources, and wider, more effective healthcare. Pike believes that science is integral to mitigating these issues and should be ringfenced to become a more dominant component of government funding. By creating a population that is scientifically literate and that possesses a broad set of skills, such as communication and literacy, society can be better prepared for future changes. While the Higher Education Funding Council recently announced a new allocation of £10m towards science education, Pike believes that this is not enough, as science courses continue to face financial deficits.
