How can the support on offer to students who drop out of higher education be further improved and, above all, how can this be safeguarded in the long term? These were the questions discussed at the second meeting of the “NEXT STEP niederrhein” collaborative project.
After all, it is clear to everyone involved in the project that nobody wants to leave students who have dropped out in the lurch. “We have a responsibility towards our students, and this does not end even when they are considering dropping out,” said Professor Dr Berthold Stegemerten, Vice-President for Studies and Teaching at the Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences, at the start of the event.
Dr Ulrich Heublein from the German Centre for Higher Education and Science Research (DZHW) provided the participants with an insight into the latest research findings in his capacity as an expert. In his presentation, he highlighted, amongst other things, the findings of the study “Motives for dropping out of higher education and a possible transition to vocational training”. According to the study, the majority (42 per cent) of those who had not completed vocational training prior to their degree programme go on to undertake vocational training after dropping out.
“We need to provide close support to those who drop out of university in order to open up prospects for them,” remarked Heublein. The study also investigated what made vocational training attractive to university dropouts. Most cited a strong practical focus, the ability to gain a qualification quickly, intensive support and a low financial burden as the reasons. “Vocational training is therefore attractive to university dropouts,” concluded Heublein.
Key factors influencing the decision to undertake vocational training include educational background – that is, the influence of the family home – the prospect of practical work, and what are perceived as excessively high academic demands. Factors discouraging people from taking up vocational training after dropping out of university include the perceived lower social status of vocational training and, for over a third of those surveyed, uncertainty about their career aspirations.
Ensuring the long-term provision of coordinated and personalised advice and support for university dropouts was the main objective of the subsequent workshop. “Our partners are the key players in the labour market across the entire Left Lower Rhine region. Together, we have created a strong network. That is truly something special. The task now is to establish this collaboration for the long term. We have agreed on important steps towards this today,” said Stefanie Winde, project manager at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences for the “NEXT STEP niederrhein” project.
