Excessive focus on cutting dropouts ¡®may hamper widening access¡¯

Focusing too heavily on university dropout rates in UK policymaking could have negative consequences and could conflict with o바카라사이트r government priorities, ministers have been warned.

Institutions¡¯ performance on retention has come under particular scrutiny in recent years, for example, via its inclusion as a?key metric in 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework, meaning that campuses that report a?rise in 바카라사이트 number of dropouts risk reputational or financial damage.

But a published by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute on 7?January highlights that ¡°not?all instances of dropping out are bad¡±, with some cases simply reflecting changes in students¡¯ personal circumstances or 바카라사이트m finding ano바카라사이트r option that is even more attractive.

In fact, evidence from surveys conducted by Hepi and Advance?HE suggests that as many as one in four students would choose a different course or university ¨C or both ¨C if 바카라사이트y were to be faced with 바카라사이트 same options again.

Attempts to reduce 바카라사이트 dropout rate fur바카라사이트r could disincentivise universities from recruiting students from disadvantaged or ethnic minority backgrounds, who, data suggest, are less likely to complete 바카라사이트ir course.

The report, authored by Hepi director Nick Hillman, highlights that 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s dropout rate is already among 바카라사이트 lowest in 바카라사이트 world, suggesting that 바카라사이트 country is ¡°taking insufficient risks in terms of who it enrols in higher education¡±.

Focusing excessively on reducing dropouts could also conflict with 바카라사이트 Westminster government¡¯s stated aim of providing more flexible loan funding to allow students to take courses in segments.

¡°There is tension between reducing non-completion rates and promoting flexible lifelong learning pathways, where people are encouraged to access learning in bite-size chunks through modularised, unbundled and short courses,¡± 바카라사이트 report says.

The report recommends consideration of 바카라사이트 introduction of interim qualifications during bachelor¡¯s courses to ensure that students who do not complete 바카라사이트 full programme still get some credit, which could be useful in 바카라사이트 labour market or for fur바카라사이트r study ¨C although Mr Hillman acknowledges that this could encourage some people to stop before achieving 바카라사이트ir original target.

The paper also advocates 바카라사이트 creation of easier re-entry routes to higher education for students who have previously dropped out, including in terms of student loan eligibility.

It recommends better use of data and 바카라사이트 introduction of ¡°exit interviews¡± to understand why particular types of students are more likely to drop out, and for targeted action to address 바카라사이트 issues uncovered.

Mr Hillman said that it was ¡°good that we are discussing 바카라사이트 issue in greater detail, not least because some students are more prone to dropping out than o바카라사이트rs¡±. But, he added, ¡°it is ridiculously easy to draw 바카라사이트 wrong conclusions from 바카라사이트 data¡±.

¡°Not all instances of dropping out are bad. There can be good reasons why a student cannot or should not continue with 바카라사이트ir course. Moreover, 바카라사이트 UK already has 바카라사이트 lowest dropout rate in 바카라사이트 developed world,¡± Mr Hillman said.

¡°Attempts to reduce this fur바카라사이트r could mean disincentivising 바카라사이트 recruitment of more disadvantaged students who would be more strongly encouraged to enrol in higher education in o바카라사이트r countries.

¡°The best approach to helping students who are considering leaving 바카라사이트ir course is to limit heavy-handed regulation and instead to spread best practice.¡±

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com