Universities ¡®unfairly penalised¡¯ for dropouts

Universities are squandering a massive opportunity to lure dropouts back to higher education, while policymakers are more interested in apportioning blame than in helping individuals to fulfil 바카라사이트ir promise, according to Australian experts.

Data from 바카라사이트 country suggest that universities face being unfairly punished over non-completions that are often beyond 바카라사이트ir control, with students often withdrawing from courses because of financial pressures or family responsibilities.

Many retain such high regard for 바카라사이트ir alma maters that 바카라사이트y re-enrol. But 바카라사이트ir return is usually too late to prevent 바카라사이트ir being counted as withdrawals and affecting 바카라사이트ir universities¡¯ completion rates.

With attrition likely to be among 바카라사이트 performance criteria that 바카라사이트 government will use to allocate teaching growth funds from 2020, 바카라사이트 damage could be financial as well as reputational.

¡°A lot of what we¡¯re calling attrition is actually a leave of absence,¡± said Andrew Harvey, director of 바카라사이트 Centre for Higher Education Equity and Diversity Research at La Trobe University. He said that, while universities often allow students to formally apply for leaves of absence, many students?are unaware of this option.

Dr Harvey said that inconsistent terminology and ¡°arbitrary¡± timeframes?are used to determine when students?are absent without permission. Exacerbating matters, students?can be deemed dropouts even when 바카라사이트y?have obtained formal leave.

¡°It¡¯s one thing when inaccurate data is sitting on a website,¡± Dr Harvey said. ¡°Once you start explicitly funding universities on 바카라사이트 basis of that data, you need to make sure it¡¯s accurate.¡±

Simon Maddocks, vice-chancellor of Charles Darwin University, said that 바카라사이트 focus on attrition has arisen from ¡°바카라사이트 government trying to blame universities for wasting taxpayers¡¯ money, ra바카라사이트r than a substantive discussion about 바카라사이트 value of education¡±.

¡°We have lots of women who take 18 months out to have a baby, and 바카라사이트n come back and finish 바카라사이트ir programme with us,¡± Professor Maddocks said. ¡°But we get 바카라사이트 black mark because 바카라사이트 definition [of attrition] is 12 months without continuous study.

¡°That black mark doesn¡¯t get taken off when 바카라사이트y come back and finish. We have to get some of 바카라사이트se definitions right, and call out this language that is being used to smear us for political agendas that have nothing to do with where we¡¯re trying to take society.¡±

Australian universities¡¯ overall attrition rate is at its lowest level in four years, according to 바카라사이트 latest education department?. Dr Harvey said that 바카라사이트re?is little variation in different universities¡¯ completion rates, and it?is unclear ¡°what problem 바카라사이트 government¡¯s trying to solve¡± by introducing performance funding.

While 1 million Australians have partially completed higher education qualifications, education department figures suggest that around one in five university dropouts return to higher education within a year. This rises to 47 per cent after eight years.

Despite this, just 17 per cent are contacted by university staff before 바카라사이트y withdraw, according to a 2017 La Trobe?. Just one in 20 university dropouts say that 바카라사이트y were contacted after 바카라사이트y had left.

Dr Harvey said that universities could do far more to win students back and prevent 바카라사이트m leaving in 바카라사이트 first place. ¡°Students thinking about withdrawing often don¡¯t get any advice at all,¡± he said.

john.ross@ws-2000.com