STEM education: report highlights need for more policy efforts and research

The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) has published this report ahead of the “STEM Education Strategic Plan”, due later this year as part of the “Union of Skills” announced in President von der Leyen’s political guidelines for the European Commission 2024-2029.

Findings

Low proficiency levels

Many students across the EU fail to achieve minimum proficiency levels in key STEM areas, particularly mathematics and science. 

Educational disruptions due to the Covid-19 pandemic have worsened outcomes and deepened educational inequalities.

The shift from an integrated STEM approach in primary education to discipline-specific science education at secondary level is a possible reason for the increasing underperformance of secondary students in maths and science. 

Teacher shortages

A shortage of qualified mathematics and science teachers exists in all educational stages, with many educators lacking the required specialisation or pedagogical training. 

There is also a significant demand for professional development of current science and mathematics teachers. 

Widening talent gap

The share of top performers in STEM subjects is constantly decreasing, and a significant portion of students from disadvantaged backgrounds still underachieve in many disciplines, especially mathematics. 

This widening talent gap suggests a need for targeted efforts to

• cultivate and support high achievers
• provide additional support where it is most needed

Inconsistent definitions

STEM education has evolved due to technological and societal shifts. Integrated STEM and STEAM (adding arts) approaches are becoming more common, focusing on developing skills such as creativity and problem-solving.

Although integrated STEAM approaches are appealing and theoretically sound, they are defined and applied inconsistently. This complicates curriculum design, evaluation, and scientific studies.

Need for more research

While a substantial part of pedagogical literature advocates for integrated STEAM education, its long-term impact remains to be determined, as there is still little research on its effectiveness.

The scarcity of research on STEM education, particularly in the European context, underscores an urgent need for more evidence-based practices. 

International large-scale assessments could provide cross-country insights into STEM education, but more well-designed and longitudinal studies are needed to understand the effectiveness of STEM and STEAM education, particularly in the European context.

Conclusions

Most researchers and policymakers agree that STEM education is a critical area that needs further development. 

Policy actions in this direction should focus on

• increasing student interest, participation, and achievement in STEM
• expanding student access to effective STEM teachers and leaders
• reducing gaps in STEM talent and skills
• building community awareness and support for STEM

On the research side, it is important to

• avoid ambiguities in defining STEM concepts
• identify the specific outcomes to be measured
• develop or adapt tools to measure these outcomes
• assess the effectiveness and feasibility of educational practices and programmes

Policy context

In 2018, the Council recommendation on key competences for lifelong learning highlighted the importance of STEM education for

• learners’ employability
• personal fulfilment and health
• active and responsible citizenship
• social inclusion

Since then, with the rapid evolution of technology, alongside the green transition, the education of citizens in these disciplines has become a key topic in policy agendas. 

In preparation for the upcoming STEM Education Strategic Plan, the JRC and the Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture began a stock-taking exercise on STEM education in Europe. This literature review is part of this project.