Based on my discussions with administrators and managers within higher education, it is patently clear that student engagement, and retention, is of increasing importance to these educational institutions.
I read with interest a piece on the Jisc website called ‘Retaining students’. This piece reported that “according to a National Audit Office report, 20% of students in higher and 15% in further education do not complete their studies.”
I remember a friend at university. Sam* was a clever chap, studying astrophysics, and seemed to have some really interesting ideas about the nature of the Hubble Constant, the rate of expansion in the universe. Well beyond me, but impressive to his lecturers by all accounts.
In all my discussions and meetings with universities across the UK, it has become apparent that the issue of the ‘student experience’ is gaining a greater level of significance across the higher education sector.
During the last 12 months, I have spoken with student support and engagement professionals in universities across the UK. As a result, I have gleaned an insight into the challenges they face and what appears to be the three not so secret secrets of good student engagement.