The Higher Education Authority (HEA) today said it is awaiting research into the possible correlation between alcohol consumption and information retention among students.
Speaking at a conference to discuss course completion in third-level education today, Dr Don Thornhill, chairperson of the HEA said the organisation was aware anecdotally that students are currently "spending a significant proportion of their time and money on alcohol" and suggested that a correlation "has to" exist between this and high non-completion rates at third level.
A HEA-commissioned report by the Educational Research Centre published today showed that Ireland compared "very favourably" with certain countries. For instance of all students who entered university here in 1992, 83 per cent completed there course, as opposed to an over-all completion rate of 80 per cent in the UK, 72 per cent in Germany and 63 per cent in the US.
However, an average 16.8 per cent of Irish students fail to complete third level - ranging from 12.9 per cent in NUI Galway to 27.9 per cent in NUI Maynooth.
Dr Thornhill said it was "a worry" that the courses most people failed to complete were those of "key national interest in terms of job creation and job retention" i.e. computer science, science, agricultural science, engineering and architecture.
He said courses with a high maths content appeared to be causing problems andwelcomed the recent decision by the Minister for Education to establish a Task Force on Science and the announcement of 50 career guidance teaching positions.