An Exploratory Study Into How Students Perceive Chemistry at a Cutting-Edge Science and Technology Higher Education School

Chemistry is vital for a society focused on innovation, well-being, and sustainability as it impacts industry, education, and research.In Portugal, students lack interest in chemistry, not only in secondary school but also in higher education.To explore the underlying causes of this phenomenon, this research was undertaken in June 2023.The first phase involved analysing national official databases to identify enrolment patterns in 12th-grade chemistry and related higher education courses over the past decade.The next phase included developing a validated questionnaire with open and closed questions to understand factors influencing students' choices in higher education chemistry courses.A pilot survey was conducted with bachelor's students at the NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA Lisbon University.This research identifies key factors influencing students' choices to enroll in chemistry courses, offering insights for policymakers.While 12th-grade enrolment in chemistry has remained steady over the past eight years, enrolment in higher education chemistry courses has declined in the last three years.Key factors affecting student choices include the quality of the secondary chemistry class, the secondary teacher of physics and chemistry, and emotional satisfaction, whereas intellectual accessibility has been identified as a significant barrier.