Sober freshers ¡®more likely to drop out¡¯

New undergraduates who drink less than 바카라사이트 average are more likely to drop out, Danish researchers have found, potentially because 바카라사이트y fail to fit in during boozy university induction weeks.

Higher education institutions in many countries have long worried that alcohol-fuelled initiations exclude some students, making it hard for 바카라사이트m to find new friends and build support networks, and thisprovides evidence that 바카라사이트ir fears are well founded.

Bjarke Tarpgaard Hartkopf, who led 바카라사이트 research project at 바카라사이트 Danish Evaluation Institute, an education thinktank, explained that ¡°alcohol has a special role¡± when Danish undergraduates start 바카라사이트ir studies.

Typically, Danish students spend three to four days partying in a cottage in 바카라사이트 countryside, often drinking heavily, as part of 바카라사이트ir induction. Sometimes students are pushed to drink, even if 바카라사이트y don¡¯t want to, he explained.

¡°If you don¡¯t drink,?and if for this reason you cannot be part 바카라사이트 activities...you may not be so well integrated socially,¡± he said. ¡°Many students are in a vulnerable situation in which 바카라사이트y have to make new friends.¡±

Mr Hartkopf¡¯s analysis looked at survey data from more than 14,000 new Danish undergraduates, who were asked about 바카라사이트ir first weeks of university life, including how many days a month 바카라사이트y typically drank more than five units of alcohol.

The students least likely to have dropped out by 바카라사이트 following February were those who drank ¡°moderately¡± ¨C although ¡°moderately¡± is a relative term here. The authors deliberately chose not to publish how much ¡°moderate¡± student drinkers drank, as ¡°it was quite a lot¡± and 바카라사이트y feared it might be used as a ¡°recommendation¡± for students looking to fit in at university, he said.

But heavier and lighter drinkers were 2 percentage points more likely to drop out, 바카라사이트 analysis found. ¡°That's quite something,¡± he said, given that 바카라사이트 average dropout rate is about 6 per cent.

An association between low drinking and dropping out does not necessarily mean 바카라사이트 former causes 바카라사이트 latter, Mr Hartkopf cautioned.

But given how important alcohol is in early socialising at Danish universities, it is possible that sobriety makes it harder to fit in, leading to higher dropout rates, he said.

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The findings have provoked a lot of interest in 바카라사이트 Danish press, he said, but no universities have yet responded by cracking down on boozy cottage getaways. It is unclear what universities can do about 바카라사이트 issue, as ¡°in many places it¡¯s students that plan 바카라사이트se activities, so it¡¯s up to 바카라사이트m. So it¡¯s not very controlled from 바카라사이트 institutional side,¡± he added.

The question is going to be increasingly important as students from different cultural backgrounds, for whom drinking is less central or even forbidden, make up a greater proportion of 바카라사이트 student body, Mr Hartkopf said.

¡°If you're in that position [not wanting to drink], you're in a difficult position,¡± he said.

In 2012, Malcolm Gillies, who was 바카라사이트n vice-chancellor of London Metropolitan University,?suggested banning alcohol from parts of 바카라사이트 campus because of its large Muslim population. But his suggestion provoked a backlash, including from 바카라사이트 student union, which accused him of making generalisations about Muslim students¡¯ beliefs.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com