That is precisely the message of the Swiss STEM Youth Barometer 2026.
Twelve years after its first edition, young people's interest in STEM subjects—science, technology, engineering, and mathematics—has hardly increased. Gender stereotypes continue to shape perceptions of ability, influence educational choices, and affect how these disciplines are viewed. For many young people, especially girls, computer science and technology still seem unappealing. STEM careers continue to be perceived as overly abstract, overly academic, and disconnected from everyday life.
In this respect, little has changed. If anything, the findings point to a troubling stagnation.
Why does this matter?
In a stable world, this would already be a concern. But in a world where artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, robotics, digital health, climate technologies, and smart infrastructure are reshaping economies at unprecedented speed, it becomes a strategic risk. Technology is not standing still—and neither can we.
The real question is therefore a simple one: Does Switzerland want to remain a country that creates and invents new technologies, or is it quietly preparing to become a country that excels at adopting technologies developed elsewhere?
The Barometer reveals a striking paradox. STEM skills are widely recognized as essential for Switzerland's innovation capacity, economic prosperity, and ability to address major societal challenges. Yet they are considered significantly less important in people's own lives and career aspirations.
That gap tells us something fundamental. We understand that STEM matters for the country, but we have not succeeded in convincing young people that it matters for their own future.
The study also points to a practical solution. Interest increases when STEM is connected to real-world applications—medicine, environmental challenges, emerging technologies, or societal issues. The problem is therefore not a natural lack of curiosity among young people. Rather, we continue to present these disciplines as theoretical, closed-off fields reserved for a select few.
In reality, STEM is about far more than equations, laboratories, or writing code. It encompasses careers in manufacturing, engineering, precision technologies, maintenance, software development, healthcare, energy, mobility, and entrepreneurship. As long as this diversity remains largely invisible in the public imagination, we will continue to steer talented young people away from fields that are essential to our country's future prosperity and technological sovereignty.
This is particularly true for girls and young women. The study shows that they continue to underestimate their own abilities, especially in technical and practical domains. This is not simply an issue of equality. It is a strategic mistake for a country that cannot afford to overlook such a significant share of its human potential—as demonstrated by the remarkable achievements of many women working successfully in these fields.
It is therefore time to rethink the scale of the challenge.
STEM can no longer be treated solely as an education issue. It must become a national priority that brings together schools, vocational education, families, businesses, universities, and the broader public.
We need to show, earlier and more concretely, what STEM makes possible. We need to make educational and career pathways more visible. We need to strengthen the connection between young people and the real worlds of science, engineering, technology, and innovation. And we must stop treating scientific and technological literacy as a peripheral concern.
It lies at the heart of our ability to remain a country that shapes its own future because it possesses the capacity to innovate and to define its own scientific and technological path.
SATW intends to play its full part in this effort—not to create unnecessary alarm, but to remind us of a simple truth: Swiss innovation is not a permanent historical achievement. It is a collective capability. And like any capability, it must be cultivated, renewed, and passed on to future generations through a willingness to continually question and improve ourselves.
Switzerland has been one of the world's great innovation nations. It still is. But it is up to all of us to recognize the signals before us. If Switzerland wants to remain a global innovation leader, it can no longer be satisfied with stagnant interest in STEM while technological change continues to accelerate around the world.
