Scottish physics Highers on the increase

The Institute of Physics

5 August 2008

Scottish industry

Success for the health of physics in Scotland today, Tuesday, 5 August, as the Scottish Qualifications Authority issues results for national courses in 2008.  After a period of steady decline since the beginning of the century, there has been a 2.1 per cent increase in the number of Scottish students taking physics Highers this year.

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, when compared to 2007 figures, received physics results today.

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 is contingent upon physics.

Alison McLure, national officer for the Institute of Physics (IOP) in Scotland, said: “An increase in the number of Scottish students taking physics is very encouraging news.  Physics-related industries in Scotland are comprised of just four per cent of the Scottish work force but they contribute ten per cent to the nation’s economic output.

“These industries rely on physics literate students entering the workforce.  The 8,700 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.”

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