SPRA producing a report on Provision of Polymer Education and Training

The SPRA has been carrying out a project for Cogent Sector Skills Council to establish the provision of specialist polymer education and training in the UK. The aim is to identify providers of education and training in polymer science/engineering/technology in universities, FE colleges and independent organisations. The report/database will provide information on all levels, postgraduate, undergraduate, sub-degree and N/SVQ programmes, as well as short courses and online learning.

SPRA prepared a similar report in 2003 and the exercise is now being repeated. As you can imagine there have been many changes since 2003, particularly in the contraction of courses at undergraduate and sub-degree levels. However the provision at postgraduate level remains strong and, at N/SVQ level, a number of new providers have appeared in the last year. Comparison with 1970 provision makes depressing reading. At that time there were 12 institutions in the UK offering polymer-specific degree level courses, the output from which still forms the backbone of the expertise in today's polymer sector. In 2010 there are only two left, Edinburgh Napier University and London Metropolitan University, clinging on to a first degree programme in polymer engineering.