The Campaign for Mathematical Sciences (CaMS) has announced funding for two groundbreaking schemes designed to encourage more school pupils to pursue the mathematical sciences through to university and ensure the UK has the pipeline of talent needed to face the future.
Universities in London and Scotland will share grants totalling £300,000 to implement their new approaches.
Maths graduate numbers are forecast to drop by a fifth between 2030 and 2035, raising concerns of a growing skills gap in sectors crucial to UK growth and resilience such as AI, climate science, fintech, and national security.
However YouTube channels such as Numberphile garner millions of views for their maths based content. Ayliean MacDonald is a regular contributor to Numberphile and has over 90,000 followers for her TikTok channel. She will advise Heriot-Watt on how to produce resources that appeal to young people and make the mathematical sciences more attractive.
CaMS, a collaboration of learned societies and experts across the mathematical sciences, is leading the effort to reimagine what a maths degree can offer in a rapidly changing world. Earlier this year CaMS’ Maths Degrees for the Future project saw five universities share £2.5 million of funding to design refreshed maths degrees with explicit links to elements like AI and entrepreneurship.
The CaMS Project Awards are aimed at bolstering the pipeline of talent following a maths A-Level or Higher with further study. The University of Greenwich and Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh will receive grants of almost £150,000 each to bring their approaches to life.
CaMS is fully funded by the leading algorithmic trading firm XTX Markets, a major donor to maths education in the UK.
Heriot-Watt University will refresh and redesign their suite of interactive and online materials. TikTok maths communicator Ayliean has agreed to join an advisory group that will guide the work to ensure the new materials appeal to pupils who are digital natives and likely to use social media.
Ayliean MacDonald, Maths Tiktoker, said, “Given the right environment, and support, people from every background do find joy in maths. Whether it’s online videos and livestreams, large scale participatory maths-art projects, monthly ‘maths jams’ to sell out Edinburgh Fringe shows all about maths.
“Maths is a living, breathing subject with a vibrant community you can get involved in.
I am excited to bring that energy to the Heriot-Watt SCHOLAR programme, a resource which allowed me to be the first person in my family to go to university, many years ago.”
Dr Emma Coutts, director of the MathsGym Mathematics Learning Support Centre at Heriot-Watt said, “We are delighted to receive this award from CaMS which represents a significant step forward in our mission to make mathematics education more inclusive and accessible. We firmly believe that anyone with the passion and determination to study mathematics should have the opportunity to do so, regardless of their background or prior educational pathway.
“Building on our experience with the SCHOLAR platform, we will develop engaging and high-quality pre-university mathematics material to reach learners from across the UK. This initiative will also introduce the first alternative pathway into university-level mathematics, offering flexible micro-credentials and accessible resources that showcase the creativity, excitement, and real-world relevance of mathematics today.
“By opening new doors to mathematical study, we aim to inspire and prepare the next generation of mathematicians, fostering a more diverse and dynamic mathematical community.”
The University of Greenwich will deliver an innovative mathematics degree based on themes designed to appeal to a diverse pool of students such as social inequality and sustainability. The new offering will build on Greenwich’s work to offer a greater number of paths into maths.
Dr Tim Reis from the University of Greenwich said, “We are absolutely delighted to receive this unique award, which we are using to develop an impactful degree that teaches maths through the lens of societal, scientific, and business challenges.
“Our students will learn how to use mathematics and data to address sustainability, social inequalities, and the impact of AI, for example.
“The degree will have input from an advisory board of graduate employers and industry experts, who will help us make sure we give our students the support and skills needed for the future. The team at Greenwich is deeply passionate about how mathematics can transform lives, and the award will help us give more students greater opportunities to succeed in a rapidly changing world.”
