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Attrition#

  • TEQSA report examining 2014 attrition

    Many of the student-centred factors expected to impact on attrition levels such as ATARs, socio-economic status, and mature-aged entry, do not emerge as having significant impacts on attrition levels overall or in the clusters of institutions identified. The presence of the proportion of students admitted on the basis of VET studies … could be acting as a surrogate for other variables such as ATAR or socio-economic status

Causes#

Quote from Campus Morning Mail (see related stories)citing a 2018 story about the Higher Education Standards Panel

Back in 2018 the Higher Education Standards Panel, report on attrition found; “significant improvements in provider approach are possible to maximise students’ chances of successfully completing their studies.” (CMM June 8 2018).

And HESP was not having universities pointing to students’ SES as the main cause for their drop-out rates. “An analysis using regression techniques showed that student characteristics only explained a small part of the overall variation in student attrition. The institution is a more important factor than the basis of admission, the student’s ATAR score, type of attendance, mode of attendance or age in explaining attrition.” (Although, HESP added, “measurable factors only explain 22.5 per cent of the overall variation in attrition.”)

From another CMM report

Drivers of attrition in public universities were; a larger proportion of external enrolments, overall number of students – the fewer the EFTS the more likely to leave, students admitted on VET qualifications, senior staff making up a lower proportion of overall academics and lower proportions of postgraduates.

Drivers in small culture and society providers were: a lower proportion of postgraduate students, poor progress rates, higher percentage of external students.

Drivers in international-focused mid-size providers were: a lower per centage of full-time academic staff, higher percentage of students admitted on VET qualifications, younger students.

Drivers in medium-size mixed-discipline providers were: more part-time students, more enrolling from VET, fewer full-time and senior academics on staff.