Abstract

Technology has infiltrated every aspect of our lives, changing how we work, how we learn and how we shop. It’s inevitable that our devices begin to reflect our civic aspirations – our desires to connect with others and to contribute to the world around us. The benefits of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to society are widely recognised, since, to remain competitive in the global economy and maintain the level of innovation, the education system must provide an ever expanding and highly talented pool of  STEM professionals. However, the  number  of  science  and  technology graduates is not increasing fast enough to keep up with demand from industry and academia and  therefore,  recruiting  students  to  STEM  programmes  is  seen  as  a  major  problem  in most European countries. Universities are increasingly turning to technological innovations to improve the employability and retention of their student base.