Scottish physics Higher entrants continue to increase

Institute of Physics News

5 August 2009

Scottish industry

Good news for physics in Scotland today, Tuesday, 5 August, with a 2.7 per cent increase in the number of students taking the physics Higher.

An increase in the number of students taking physics is a cause for celebration as reports show that more than £8 billion of Scottish economic output comes from physics-based sectors of industry.

Alison McLure, national officer for the Institute of Physics (IOP) in Scotland, said: “Congratulations to all the students receiving their higher Physics results today. An increase in the number of Scottish students taking physics is very encouraging news. Physics-based industries in Scotland contribute ten per cent to the nation’s economic output.

“These industries rely on physics literate students entering the workforce. The 9,000 or so students receiving their physics results today can take heart that a decent grounding in physics is going to stand them in very good stead, whatever it is they decide to do in the future.”

After a steady decline in the number of physics students since the beginning of the century, the trend changed last year with more students taking the physics Higher; a development continued this year as shown by the results issued today by the Scottish Qualifications Authority. In 2001, more than 10,000 students took physics Higher examinations but this figure steadily decreased to around 8,500 students in 2007. It now seems that the trend has been bucked as almost 200 more students decided to take physics in 2008, and the upturn continued this year with over 9,000 students receiving their physics results today.

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