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November 19, 2007, 02:59 PM ET
Cambridge Fights for Computer Science's Reputation
Here’s an unhappy sign of the times for college computer-science departments: Even Cambridge University, which boasts one of the world’s most prestigious technology programs, is having a devil of a time attracting students.
At the turn of the century, Cambridge’s computer-science program received about 500 applications a year, and accepted about 100 applicants. But last year, The Guardian reports, only 210 students applied, and just 70 were accepted. That decline has left professors in the department — the oldest of its kind in the world, according to The Guardian — worried that the program will have to become less selective in order to stay afloat.
Cambridge professors blame the dwindling enrollment figures on their field’s ongoing image problem, a theme that should be familiar to almost anyone who teaches technology. While computer science was once thought of as cutting-edge, many students now consider it fusty and geeky. Add fears of IT outsourcing to the equation, and it’s no wonder why students are looking for different majors.
Cambridge is trying to shore up computer science’s image by building a nationwide publicity campaign and creating a Web site that attempts to debunk myths about the field. What else can the university do? Any thoughts or tips? —Brock Read
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