UK recruiting science graduates from India and China

London, Mar 16 (UNI) Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has warned that companies here have started recruiting science graduates from countries like India and China instead of depending on the home market because they have a larger pool of high calibre students to choose from.

Deputy director of the CBI John Cridland said,'' We are beginning to see UK companies saying it makes economic sense to source science graduates internationally, particularly from India and China.'' India has 450,000 engineering undergraduates in the current academic year, according to the CBI. China is producing 300,000 graduates every year in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, three times the number coming through UK universities.

According to the CBI, figures in the UK are on a decline in all these subjects, from GCSE through to A-level and degree level.

Mr Cridland said, ''A decline in science study is not yet a crisis, but will haunt us unless we address it urgently.'' Lord Rees, president of the Royal Society, said schools were failing in their role to help create the next generation of scientists because they do not maintain children's enthusiasm for science beyond their early fascination for dinosaurs and space travel.

''Higher education institutes also have a responsibility to inspire university science undergraduates to develop their skills and knowledge in research, without which Britain is in danger of becoming an also-ran rather than a leader in world science,'' he added.

He said Britain was neglecting its scientific heroes of the past and today's scientists lacked the popular appeal that soap stars or footballers attracted.

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