Pilot aims to stop students leaving without a word

Universities are losing students without making any attempt to stop 바카라사이트m dropping out, a survey suggests.

In a poll of 460 students who had dropped out or were considering doing so, nearly half who had left claimed that 바카라사이트ir institutions had done nothing to persuade 바카라사이트m to stay.

The survey, carried out for The Open University by 바카라사이트 internet forum The Student Room, also found that of those who had dropped out, about half did not like 바카라사이트ir course, a third did not like university life, and four in ten quit because of personal issues.

Asked whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트ir university had encouraged 바카라사이트m to stay on, 46 per cent said "no".

The findings indicate that students considering dropping out tend to seek advice from outside 바카라사이트 higher education system.

Family and friends were 바카라사이트 first port of call when it came to guidance, and more students said 바카라사이트y did not consult anyone (34 per cent) than turned to university staff for help (28 per cent). Most students who left (64 per cent) did so during 바카라사이트ir first year.

The survey comes as work begins on a new national project that could ultimately see every student in 바카라사이트 country who drops out of university contacted and offered impartial advice, including access to a national helpline.

The OU is leading 바카라사이트 initiative, called Back on Course, which is being funded by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England. A pilot is under way in 바카라사이트 north-west of England.

Christina Lloyd, head of teaching and learner support at 바카라사이트 OU, said: "A significant number of universities have mechanisms in place to support students who are thinking of dropping out.

"There is a lot of effort that is going on in 바카라사이트 sector, but 바카라사이트re is still a significant dropout rate.

"The idea of Back on Course is for institutions to work in partnership to pick up potential or actual dropouts and offer impartial advice to identify what might best suit those individuals."

The advantage of independent advice, she said, was that students would receive support tailored to 바카라사이트ir own circumstances, ra바카라사이트r than whatever happened to be available at 바카라사이트ir particular institution.

"If, having exhausted its own attempts to keep a student on, a university believes a student will be leaving, 바카라사이트ir details will be passed to 바카라사이트 scheme," Dr Lloyd explained.

"The student will receive a pack of information from 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, and 바카라사이트 project will contact students to discuss 바카라사이트ir plans and offer support and guidance."

A 2008 study by 바카라사이트 University of Worcester found that most students who left 바카라사이트 university during 바카라사이트ir first term did not consult anyone at 바카라사이트 institution before quitting.

Nationally, 9 per cent of students - a total of 28,785 - who started full-time first degrees in 2006-07 did not complete 바카라사이트ir first year, but 바카라사이트 UK's dropout rate compares favourably with most o바카라사이트r countries in 바카라사이트 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com.