Ninth Level Ireland

“Sir, – Statistics this year show that just over half of students completed their courses in computer science and engineering (Carl O’Brien, ‘Is our obsession with degrees failing students?’, Analysis, Education, March 29th). Reasons for dropping out from college include financial, health, family or changing course. Away from the firm structure of secondary education, new independent learning can become problematic for some students at third level …” (more)

[Kevin McLoughlin, Irish Times, 31 March]

Abstract: Higher education institutions are striving to lower student dropout rates to increase the number of academically qualified persons in the labour market and decrease misguided investment. Researchers generally acknowledge that students who are firmly decided on their studies tend to drop out of their studies less frequently. Building on the extended expectancy-value model via the cost component, this longitudinal study investigates changes in and the impact of students’ motivation on career decidedness and intention to drop out. We analysed data from 351 first-year university students aiming to become teachers across three measurement points, finding that the task effort of students and, to a lesser degree, their interest value was related to career decidedness and, indirectly, to the intention to drop out after the first year in higher education. Moreover, the results revealed that these students’ ability beliefs increased and interest value decreased from the beginning to the end of the first year at higher education. Accordingly, we discuss the theoretical and practical implications taken from these findings.

Carina Bargmann, Lisa Thiele and Simone Kauffeld, Motivation matters: predicting students’ career decidedness and intention to drop out after the first year in higher education, Higher Education. Published: 29 March 2021.

“Between 60% and 80% of students in some third-level computing and engineering courses are dropping out, new data shows. Young men with low Leaving Cert points are at a particularly high risk of failing to complete their college courses. The findings are contained in a study by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) which tracked the progress of thousands of students who started third-level courses over a 10-year period …” (more)

[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 29 March]

“Are we sending too many school leavers to higher education who would fare better in hands-on options such as further education or apprenticeships? It’s a question begged by the findings of a major study by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) into the volume of students who are failing to complete third-level courses …” (more)

[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 29 March]

“Students are persisting with college courses despite the challenges posed by remote learning and Covid-19. The pandemic has not triggered a rise in drop-out rates, new figures show. Students have generally stuck with their courses and, in some cases, retention figures are well up on previous years …” (more)

[Katherine Donnelly, Independent, 19 March]

“Minister for Higher Education, Simon Harris has said that the current third-level system is ‘not fit for purpose’ in an interview with Pat Kenny on Newstalk. Speaking on Thursday morning, Harris outlined his new idea for an integrated application portal that would enable students to view all further study options available to them post-Leaving Certificate …” (more)

[Isobel Dunne, College Tribune, 23 January]

“Record numbers of young people in the UK are starting a university course this autumn, with many anxious to escape a collapsing employment market. But as students embark on a very different university experience, vice-chancellors are worried that many may not last the year …” (more)

[Anna Fazackerley, Guardian, 19 September]

“An ‘open the gates’ approach to third-level entry was considered as an alternative to this summer’s Leaving Cert, but the suggestion was dismissed over concerns it would lead to ‘significant’ drop-outs. Matriculation exams and SAT admissions tests were also considered as alternative routes to third level this year …” (more)

[Jess Casey, Irish Examiner, 4 June]

“Sir, – Dr Mark Ryan (Letters, April 8th) criticises Prof Áine Hyland for her suggestion that the Leaving Cert should continue to be the basis for entry to third level. Dr Ryan suggests that the high drop- out rate in first year indicates that using Leaving Cert results must be flawed. It is widely accepted that this is not so …” (more)

[John Mc Avoy, Irish Times, 13 April]

“Sir, – I must disagree with the head of examinations and assessment in the State Examination Committee, Tim Desmond, in recommending that ‘the CAO system changes significantly, to move the pressure point from the end of senior cycle to the end of first year in third-level institutions’ …” (more)

[Marion Dunne, Irish Times, 28 October]

“The University Observer has learned that 484 full time students studying Arts left their courses between 2015 and 2017, the highest number across all University College Dublin (UCD) programmes. The figure, which represents 55.8% of all course leavers in the university, includes students in dual honours Arts degree programmes across a wide variety of subjects …” (more)

[Brían Donnelly, University Observer, 17 April]

“The recent Higher Education Authority analysis of completion rates offers many grounds for congratulation among undergraduate students: overall the figures compare well with international benchmarks. But they raise some important issues, especially given relatively higher dropout rates in institutes of technology and in IT courses …” (more)

[Ellen Hazelkorn and Tom Boland, Irish Times, 19 February]

“Sir, – Third-level institutions must take some responsibility for the high drop-out rate at college level. Does the Higher Education Authority monitor the quality of lecturing, the lecture content and the exam processes of these institutions? …” (more)

[Kathleen Barton, Irish Times, 19 February]

“Sir, – The detailed report published on February 14th by the Higher Education Authority on completion rates in higher education is welcome as the numbers entering the sector continue to grow (‘Some third-level computing courses have 80% drop-out rate’, News, February 14th) …” (more)

[Lucy Hearne, Irish Times, 18 February]

“The HEA have produced a major study on An Analysis of Completion in Irish Higher Education: 2007/08 Entrants, which makes for interesting reading. As with many HEA reports there is a lot of detail and mountains of data (this report is 220 pages long!). It does not include the National College of Ireland nor the likes of the Dublin Business School which is a big pity and a major omission in my view …” (more)

[Careful With That Axe, Eugene, 14 February]

“The Technological Higher Education Association (THEA) very much welcomes this first extended completion analysis across the entire higher education sector. We compliment the HEA for engaging in such a longitudinal study and for the attendant analysis. As a sector, we have been examining progression and successful completion in this manner for the best part of a decade …” (more)

[THEA, 13 February]

“Major Study of Higher Education Completion Rates Finds that Leaving Certificate Performance is Strongest Predictor of Completion. The Higher Education Authority today published a study on the rates of completion of 34,059 students who entered Irish Universities, Institutes and Colleges full time at undergraduate level in the 2007/8 academic year …” (more, download)

[Maura O’Shea, HEA, 14 February]

“A majority of students are dropping out of third-level computing and engineering courses with low CAO entry points, official figures show. These high non-completion rates are a source of ‘huge concern’ to education authorities, according to a major new study. The findings are contained in a study by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) which has tracked a cohort of more than 34,000 students who started third-level courses in 2007/08 over a 10-year period …” (more)

[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 14 February]

“Students with higher Leaving grades and CAO points are significantly more likely to complete higher education than those with lower grades, according to a new report from the Higher Education Authority. The study, which tracked 34,059 full-time undergraduate students who entered Irish universities, institutes of technology and colleges in 2007 across ten years, found that the lowest completion rates were in computing courses, where 45% of students dropped out …” (more)

[Peter McGuire, Irish Examiner, 14 February]

“Technology and computing courses are proving to be the hardest to complete in college, a major new study has found. The report from the Higher Education Authority (HEA) also found that females had significantly higher completion of third-level courses than males. And first year is key – with almost two thirds of those who don’t graduate dropping out at that stage …” (more)

[Katherine Donnelly, Independent, 14 February]