Groeipad STEM-richtingen aan hogescholen toont te weinig ambitie
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Te weinig Vlaamse studenten volgen een wetenschappelijke opleiding, zo tonen cijfers van Statistiek Vlaanderen. “Een van de oorzaken is de onderfinanciering van STEM-richtingen aan onze hogescholen”, aldus Vlaams Parlementslid Kristof Slagmulder (Vlaams Belang). “Vlaanderen moet meer ambitie tonen inzake de financiering van deze richtingen. Ze vormen de motor van onze welvaart”.
Volgens een recente update van Statistiek Vlaanderen was in 2018 19% van de diploma’s in ons hoger onderwijs een diploma in wiskunde, wetenschappen of een technologische richting. Het Europees gemiddelde was 25%, in een land als Duitsland ging het om 35%. Kristof Slagmulder bevroeg hierover minister van onderwijs Ben Weyts (N-VA) in de commissie.
STEM-opleidingen moeten aantrekkelijker worden
Een aanzienlijk deel van de bespreking betrof de verhoging van de onderwijsbelastingeenheden (OBE’s) voor opleidingen binnen deze studiedomeinen. Dit jaar werden deze opgetrokken van 1,2 naar 1,25. In een conceptnota werd een verder groeipad opgemaakt. Op termijn worden deze OBE’s opgetrokken tot 1,3; goed voor z’n 6,7 miljoen euro in totaal op het einde van de legislatuur. In 2021 wordt ook nog eens de opleiding toegepaste informatica toegevoegd.
“Hoewel er zeker vooruitgang wordt geboekt, liggen de noden op het terrein veel hoger. Helaas wordt het budget van het groeipad niet opgetrokken. Van een mogelijke herverdeling binnen het bestaande budget is ook geen sprake”, verklaart Slagmulder. “Indien we STEM aantrekkelijker willen maken voor veel studenten, moet er geïnvesteerd worden in een gevarieerd aanbod aan afstudeerrichtingen en specialisaties, maar ook in duurzame, toekomstgerichte innovatie binnen deze richtingen.”