Student dropout rates climbed across all third level colleges during the 2020-21 academic year, against the backdrop of a “perfect storm” of Covid disruption and disengagement linked to online learning.
New figures show a total of 12 per cent of first-year students, or more than 5,100, did not progress to the second year of their course, up from 9 per cent, or about 3,600 students, the previous year.
Senior academics believe a number of factors were behind the increase, such as disengagement and isolation linked to online learning, as well as reduced access to student support and exam inexperience among students who received predicted Leaving Cert grades.
Dropout rates varied by individual college and were higher for technological universities or institutes or technology compared to traditional universities.
The highest rates were recorded at Dundalk Institute of Technology and South East Technological University (21 per cent), followed by Atlantic Technological University (20 per cent); and Munster Technological University, Technological University of Dublin and Technological University of the Shannon (all 17 per cent).
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The lowest rates were at the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland (3 per cent) and Dublin City University, Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, and St Angela’s College of Home Economics (6 per cent).
Academics said higher dropout rates in technological universities reflect their more varied student intake across a range of academic levels, which typically have lower CAO points requirements.
Research shows lower Leaving Cert attainment is one of the biggest risk factors for non-completion, as well as other factors such as health, family or financial issues.
The latest figures, for example, show non-completion rates were significantly higher in level seven or ordinary degree courses (25 per cent) compared to level eight or honours degree courses (11 per cent).
Dropout rates varied when broken down by gender and were higher among male students (15 per cent) compared to women (10 per cent). The data is contained in a “progression and completion dashboard” created by the Higher Education Authority (HEA).
“I think the data points to a perfect storm of Covid and limited access to in-person student supports,” said Prof Veronica Campbell, president of South East Technological University (SETU). “The latter being of critical importance and value to ensuring student success at SETU.”
Dr Billy Bennett, vice-president for academic affairs and registrar at Atlantic Technological University, said the return of in-person exams during the 2020/21 academic year also proved to be a big challenge for first-year students.
Most secured their college places on the back of predicted grades rather than sitting the traditional exams, which were cancelled that year.
“They didn’t have the exam experience of managing their study and the discipline you need for a traditional exam,” he said.
[ Call for tougher Leaving Cert grading as university dropout rates climbOpens in new window ]
While some academics say inflated grades may also have led to greater numbers of students struggling in courses they might not have secured in normal times, Dr Bennett said he believed a combination of exam inexperience and reduced access to student supports were bigger factors.
At Dublin City University (DCU), where non-progression rates were among the lowest, university president Prof Daire Keogh said the university benefited from the fact that most of its students were pursuing their first-preference programmes and were “highly motivated”.
Notwithstanding that, he said the university had been “vigilant” in addressing issues relating to student attainment.
“We have exceptional supports for access students, students with disabilities, those coming from the further education sector and those who join as mature students, which helps ensure their success is in line with their peers. This helps the overall figure,” he says.
