Insufficient prior knowledge leads to high drop-out numbers from higher education
Dropping out from higher education programmes in shortage occupations often stems from a lack of prior knowledge and misaligned expectations (misguided choices). The Swedish National Audit Office recommends extending careers advisory services and introducing requirements for students who drop out to inform their higher education institution.
There is a large demand for numerous professions in essential services, such as teachers, nurses and engineering graduates. However, drop-out rates from programmes leading to these professions are high. In 2022, the graduation rate was 49% for the Bachelor of Science in Engineering programme, 61% for the Master of Art in Primary Education programme and 74% for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing programme.
The Swedish National Audit Office has examined the efforts of higher education institutions (HEIs) and the Swedish Higher Education Authority, and the Government’s management, to reduce the risk of dropping out. The audit shows that HEIs offer many support measures, but that the situation is difficult.
For example, there are no mandatory requirements for students who leave their studies prematurely to inform their HEI. Therefore, HEIs often lack up-to-date information on how many students have dropped out and why, which impedes effective preventive measures.
Although students can register their non-completion in the Ladok study documentation system, this is not commonly done. Even when students actually report dropping out, or a switch to another higher education institution, this does not automatically reach the relevant programme administration.
The audit also shows that Ladok does not enable HEIs to easily identify students who are at risk of dropping out, for example because they have fallen behind in their studies.
“All in all, this means that HEIs do not know how many students have dropped out, why they dropped out or which measures are needed to increase the graduation rate,” says Fredrik Bonander, project leader for the audit.
Moreover, this lack of information makes it difficult for HEIs to plan and scale their programmes.
“An obligation for students to report dropping out would make it easier for HEIs to plan ahead and would improve efficiency. Thus, the central government would obtain greater benefit from the funds invested in higher education,” says Auditor General Christina Gellerbrant Hagberg.
The audit shows that a common reason for dropping out is that students do not have sufficient prior knowledge of Swedish or mathematics. Another reason is that the programme was not what the student expected (misguided choices).
“The audit indicates that many students do not have an accurate understanding of what the programme entails. Extended study guidance could reduce the number of misguided choices made and dropping out,” says Auditor General Christina Gellerbrant Hagberg.
The Swedish National Audit Office’s in-depth analysis also shows that the risk of dropping out increases if the student has poor upper secondary school grades, works a lot alongside their studies or suffers from a mental illness. Students who have attended upper secondary school with an independent education provider are also at a slightly higher risk of dropping out than students who have attended municipal upper secondary school, and men drop out to a greater extent than women.
Recommendations in brief
The Swedish National Audit Office’s recommendations to the Government include the following:
- introduce regulations clarifying students’ obligation to report dropping out of programmes
- consider tasking higher education institutions with jointly establishing a knowledge centre on dropout and completion
- consider tasking the Swedish Council for Higher Education with investigating how extended study guidance can be designed to reduce misguided choices and dropping out.
Universities and other higher education institutions are recommended to ensure that the technical system support in Ladok is developed to provide higher education institutions with better support in their efforts to counteract dropping out.