Student Retention
Improving the retention and success of all students is a priority for
all higher education institutions in the UK and abroad – and for
national policy makers across the world. Even reducing withdrawal by a
small amount makes a significant difference – and many interventions
have been shown to improve retention by up to ten percentage points.
We can offer services to review and develop your student retention
and success, drawing on research evidence about:
• The contribution of institutional level strategies, processes and
procedures
• Monitoring, identifying and supporting students at risk
of withdrawal
• Induction to promote engagement and success
•
Active learning and teaching
• Personal tutoring and small group
learning
• Effective interventions
• Partnerships with
professional service staff, students’ union and others within your
institution and beyond.
In particular you may be interested in policy review and development, research and evaluation, keynote address and staff workshops and institutional change.
Publications
Summary briefing report: What works? Student retention and success change programme, December 2013 Download >>
Briefing report on the What works? Student retention and success change programme, December 2013 Download >>
Thomas, L. (2012) Building student engagement and belonging at a
time of change in higher education. London: Paul Hamlyn Foundation
Thomas, L. (2011) “Do pre-entry interventions such as ‘Aimhigher’
impact on student retention and success?” A review of the literature,
Higher Education Quarterly. vol. 65. No. 3, p230-250
Crosling, G., Thomas, L. and Heagney, M. (2008) Improving student
retention in Higher Education. The role of teaching and learning,
RoutledgeFalmer
2003 ‘Improving the retention of students from
lower socio-economic groups’, Journal of Higher Education Policy and
Management, 25.1, pp63-75, with Mantz Yorke
Thomas, L,
(2002) Student Retention in Higher Education: The role of
institutional habitus’. Journal of Education Policy vol. 17, no.4
pp423-432
Quinn, J. et al (2005) Falling down ladders and
charming snakes. The meanings and implications of working class
student drop-out. York: Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
Other activities
Liz was director of the higher influential What works? Student
retention and success programme (2008-2011), and is now directing the
What works? Student retention and success change programme on behalf of
the Higher Education Academy, with Action on Access. This programme is
working collaboratively with higher education providers to instigate
change at both institutional and academic programme levels, and
evaluating the impact of these changes and researching the process of
change.
Liz is regularly asked to give key note addresses to
international, national and institutional conferences on student
retention and success. This includes speaking in Australia and the US on
several occasions.
Liz has examined PhDs relating to the theme of
student retention and success for universities in the UK, Europe, US and
Australia: Queensland University of Technology, The Open University,
University of Huddersfield, University of Melbourne, University of
Minnesota, University of Nottingham, University of Oslo.