EU smashes MST graduate target

The European Union's member states have smashed their target to increase the number of graduates they produce in maths, science and technology (MST).

According to official figures, the number of people obtaining degrees in these subjects rose by 37.2 per cent between 2000 and 2008.

The target for the EU's 27 constituent countries was to achieve an increase of 15 per cent by 2010.

Among individual member states, Portugal, Slovakia and the Czech Republic recorded the biggest growth in MST graduates since 2000 at 193.2 per cent, 185.8 per cent and 141.3 per cent respectively.

The smallest increases were in France (5.4 per cent) and Ireland (one per cent).

In the UK, there was a 17.8 per cent rise in the number of people completing MST degrees between 2000 and 2008.

Under the EU's long-term jobs and growth strategy, 40 per cent of adults across all member states should be higher education graduates by 2020.

In the next few weeks, individual counties will submit reform plans that will set out their national graduate targets and proposals for how they will be reached.