The barometer of public opinion about STEM

The Need for Funding

The combination of the acute lack of specialists currently in the areas of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) and the growing need for digital and environmental transformation in the future means that funding initiatives are essential if we want to make the most of the potential that already exists and counteract the stagnating or even downward trend in terms of results in maths and the sciences amongst pupils at Swiss schools that has become apparent in Pisa studies over the last few years. . 

The barometer of public opinion about STEM

The aim of the STEM barometer of public opinion is to measure the population of Switzerland’s view of STEM as a subject area. A long-term representative study will be used to collect data in a systematic way from 2025 onwards and the corresponding analysis will be published as studies. It will address questions such as whether there is any awareness of STEM as a concept and also how relevant STEM skills are, how the quality of training in STEM is viewed, what gender-specific views are associated with STEM or where the people being questioned see opportunities to take action to get more people interested in STEM. As the survey will be conducted every two years for a period of ten years, there will also be the potential to draw conclusions about how the perception of STEM has changed over time in different sections of the population.

The study being developed is based on its counterpart of the same name in Germany, which will enable a comparison of different countries to be made using predefined terms. 

The STEM barometer of public opinion should help politicians and other decision-makers define initiatives to promote STEM.