It would be too simplistic to try to explain the declining number of freshmen in the STEM subjects in the academic year 2021 solely with the corona pandemic and the overall falling number of freshmen.
Ironically, at a time when countries want to introduce computer science as a subject in schools, even though there are far too few computer science teacher training courses at universities.
Even if the industry is desperately looking for computer scientists, but also engineers, electrical engineers, mechanical engineers and construction specialists, fewer and fewer high school graduates are opting for a Mint degree.
On the one hand, there are the consequences of mathematics lessons that are in need of improvement as early as the elementary level, the deficits of which accumulate in the further school career.
On the other hand, many first-year students underestimate how much mathematics they need in the STEM subjects and drop out.
But Germany cannot afford to lose every second MINT student.
The universities could take countermeasures with targeted bridging courses and preparatory semesters, which the Technical University of Munich already offers.
It would make sense to offer engineers and natural scientists their own mathematics courses, as is common in business administration or sociology.
If Germany is already missing 140,000 specialists in academic mint professions, the innovative power is really at risk.