WP8 Student retention

Transcription

1 WP8 Student retention Overview on the situation in Finland and in Aalto University School of Science and Technology In international comparison, the dropout phenomenon seems less significant in Finland. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the completion rate in Finnish tertiary-type A that is university level programs is above OECD average (72 % in 2005 against 69 % on average). (OECD 2009) On the other hand, one should not only pay attention to dropout rates or completion rates. According to the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture, there are also other important factors related to student retention and universities efficiency to produce graduates. These include above all (Opetusministeriö 2007): - Transfer from secondary education to tertiary education (e.g. admission of students) - Target times for completion of degrees; progress of studies - Graduation, completion and dropout - Demand in labor market before and after graduation Especially the transfer from secondary education to tertiary education is a problem in Finland. According to Davies et al. (2009), only about one-half of all applicants for tertiary study have obtained a study place in recent years. Target times for completion of degrees are yet another problem. The average study time in university level engineering programs is approximately 7 years. In other fields of study, the average study time is slightly shorter. (KOTA-tietokanta) A typical dropout either temporary or permanent in Finnish universities and polytechnics is a student who has completed all his/her courses but has not yet written his/her thesis. In 2007, the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture estimated that there were over students whose graduation depended only on their thesis. (Opetusministeriö 2007) Definitions Dropout = Students are followed for one year, from September of one year to September of the next year. A person is considered as a dropout, unless he/she has not continued his/her studies or graduated during that time (definition by Statistics Finland). Statistics about dropouts in Finnish universities are provided by Statistics Finland. Both Statistics Finland and Ministry of Education and Culture use these figures to measure dropout rates. These figures are not publicly available. Dropout rate = the ratio of dropouts to dropouts and graduates in total (definition by Ministry of Education and Culture); the ratio of dropouts to all students (definition by Statistics Finland) Completion rate = 100 % - dropout rate, where the dropout rate is the ratio of dropouts to dropouts and graduates in total (definition by Ministry of Education and Culture); the ratio of graduates to entrants in a reference year (definition by The Finnish Association of Graduate Engineers TEK) Page 1 of 11

2 Graduation rate = the percentage of an age cohort that has completed certain type of education (definition by Ministry of Education and Culture) Survival rate = the ratio of the number of students who graduate from an initial degree during the reference year to the number of new entrants in this degree n years before, with n being the number of years of full-time study required to complete the degree (definition by Ministry of Education and Culture) Statistics on student retention, progress of studies and dropout In this context, an engineering student is defined as a Master s degree seeking university student studying in one of the science, technology and/or engineering not natural sciences programs in Finland. In total, seven universities offer such programs: Aalto University School of Science and Technology 1, Tampere University of Technology, Lappeenranta University of Technology, University of Oulu, Åbo Akademi University, University of Turku and University of Vaasa. The extent of the Master's level degree is 120 ECTS, which means 2 years of fulltime study on top of the lower degree (Bachelor s degree, 180 ECTS, 3 years). Finnish universities introduced the two-cycle degree system based on the Bologna principles in Aalto University School of Science and Technology gathers annual statistics about the number of applicants, admitted students, enrolled students and graduates by faculty/ department/ degree program. Unfortunately, however, these statistics are mainly incomparable. In recent years, a national follow-up study conducted in technical universities and faculties in Finland ( ) has followed engineering students progress of studies both at national and at university/ departmental level. The follow-up has also continued after the project lifetime at least in Aalto University School of Science and Technology. The future, however, is still open. One of the main findings in the national follow-up study was that, despite the introduction of the new twocycle degree system according to which the target time for completion of a university degree is 5 years, study times in university level engineering programs have not really changed. 1 Before merging with two other universities in Helsinki, namely Helsinki School of Economics and University of Art and Design Helsinki, and transforming into the new Aalto University, Aalto University School of Science and Technology was Helsinki University of Technology (until ). Starting , however, the School of Science and Technology will be divided into four separate schools: School of Chemical Technology, School of Electrical Engineering, School of Engineering and School of Science. Page 2 of 11

3 40,0 % Earned credits after three years of study; students enrolled in university level engineering programs in ,0 % 30,0 % 25,0 % 20,0 % 15,0 % Aalto University School of Science and Technology (former Helsinki University of Technology) All technical universities and faculties 10,0 % 5,0 % 0,0 % < 120 ECTS ECTS ECTS > 180 ECTS Source: Percentage of students in attendance at Aalto University School of Science and Technology that gained no credits Enrollment in 2005 Enrollment in ,8 % 8,0 % 4,0 % 4,5 % 1,4 % 1,4 % 1. year 2. year 3. year Page 3 of 11

4 45% 4 35% 3 25% 2 15% 1 5% Students' perceptions of their own progress; students enrolled in university level engineering programs in Bad Quite bad Quite good Good Aalto University School of Science and Technology (former Helsinki University of Technology) All technical universities and faculties Source: 45,0 % 40,0 % 35,0 % 30,0 % 25,0 % 20,0 % 15,0 % 10,0 % 5,0 % 0,0 % Estimated study times after three years of study; students enrolled at Aalto University School of Science and Technology in < 5 years 5-7 years 7-9 years > 9 years Source: Page 4 of 11

5 Progress of studies during the 1st year; median credit score (ECTS) among degreeseeking students at Aalto University School of Science and Technology Average Architecture ,5 Automation and Systems Technology ,8 Bioinformation Technology 46, ,4 Energy Technology 51, ,9 Electronics and Electrical Engineering 43 29, ,6 Geomatics 33 26, ,1 Information Networks ,5 Chemical Technology ,8 Real Estate Economics 43, ,5 50,5 Mechanical Engineering ,0 Landscape Acrhitecture 52, ,4 Materials Science ,3 Forest Products Technology , ,9 Civil and Environmental Engineering 47, ,1 Engineering Physics and Mathematics 51, ,6 Computer Science and Engineering 36 29,5 35, ,0 Communications Engineering 38, ,6 Industrial Engineering and Management ,3 Percentage of students that gained the minimum credit score (60 ECTS/academic year) in the Faculty of Electronics, Communications and Automation 25% 23% Enrollment in 2008 (1 year of study, min. 60 ECTS) Enrollment in 2007 (2 years of study, min. 120 ECTS) Enrollment in 2006 (3 years of study, min. 180 ECTS) 1 3% 5% 1 13% 12% 7% 7% 9% Automation and Systems Technology Bioinformation Technology Electronics and Electrical Engineering Faculty of Electronics, Communications and Automation Communications Engineering Page 5 of 11

6 Percentage of students that gained the minimum credit score (60 ECTS/academic year) in the Faculty of Electronics, Communications and Automation Enrollment in 2008 (1 year of study, min. 60 ECTS) Enrollment in 2007 (2 years of study, min. 120 ECTS) 4% 18% 1 Enrollment in 2006 (3 years of study, min. 180 ECTS) 4 29% 15% 2 3% 6% 46% 56% 38% Information Networks Engineering Physics and Mathematics Computer Science and Engineering Faculty of Information and Natural Sciences Industrial Engineering and Management Percentage of students that gained the minimum credit score (60 ECTS/academic year) in the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture Enrollment in 2008 (1 year of study, min. 60 ECTS) Enrollment in 2006 (3 years of study, min. 180 ECTS) Enrollment in 2007 (2 years of study, min. 120 ECTS) 39% 5 42% 39% 8% 4% 28% 18% 5% 13% 5% 24% 15% 16% 8% 17% 15% 7% Architecture Energy Technology Geomatics Real Estate Economics Mechanical Engineering Landscape Acrhitecture Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty of Engineering and Architecture Page 6 of 11

7 Percentage of students that gained the minimum credit score (60 ECTS/academic year) in the Faculty of Chemistry and Materials Sciences Enrollment in 2008 (1 year of study, min. 60 ECTS) Enrollment in 2007 (2 years of study, min. 120 ECTS) Enrollment in 2006 (3 years of study, min. 180 ECTS) 2 15% 15% 13% 3% 11% 12% 5% 8% Chemical Technology Materials Science Forest Products Technology Faculty of Chemistry and Materials Sciences Statistics on student retention and/ or dropouts are not (publicly) available at university level. However, an online service (the KOTA online service: maintained by the Ministry of Education and Culture does offer various statistical data on universities and different fields of education. These statistics are also comparable. According to the KOTA online service, the number of applicants to university level engineering programs has steadily increased since At the same time, however, fewer applicants have actually attended the entrance examinations. Also the percentage of admitted students that really enroll at the university has steadily diminished. On the other hand, completion rates the ratio of graduates to entrants has steadily increased. Year 2000 is an exception, since a great number of students graduated the year before in The turn of the millennium gave many students a boost to graduate before the 2000s. Page 7 of 11

8 30000 Applicants, entrance examinees, admitted students, enrolled students and graduates in Finnish university level engineering programs ( ) Applicants Entrance examinees Admitted students Enrolled students Graduates Source: 12 Student enrollment and completion rates in Finnish university level engineering programs ( ) All students Female students All students Female students Percentage of admitted students that enrolled at the university (%) Ratio of graduates to entrants (%) Source: Page 8 of 11

9 Policies and strategies In 2005, Finnish universities introduced the two-cycle degree system based on the Bologna principles, according to which the target time for completion of a university degree is 5 years. At the moment, the governmental actions to improve students progress of studies are mainly linked with the student financial aid system (more credits required per study month). At the moment, Aalto University School of Science and Technology does not have any strategy for student retention. However, inspired by the national follow-up study conducted in technical universities and faculties in Finland ( ), there is currently discussion about how to organize the follow-up in the future not only at school level but at university level. Aalto University also needs to decide on its policy of admitting students extended (more than the target time of 5 years) rights to study. At the moment, such policy does not yet exist. Activities and initiatives to improve student retention and progress of studies National activity: financial aid for HEI students & student loan tax deduction Financial aid for HEI students is provided by KELA The Social Insurance Institution of Finland. The aid is provided in the form of (1) study grant, (2) housing supplement, and (3) government guarantee for student loans. The study grant and housing supplement are government-financed monthly benefits. In order to qualify for student financial aid, one must have gained admission to HEI studies, be a full-time student, make satisfactory academic progress (at the moment min. 4,8 ECTS per study month, suggested min. 5 ECTS per study month starting ), and be in need of financial assistance. The student financial aid is available for Finnish citizens and, in some cases, for non-citizens of Finland. One can also get financial aid for studies abroad. Many students take advantage of the study grant and housing supplement, but are afraid to take student loan and rather go to work to earn some extra money. (For many students, especially in the metropolitan area where cost of living is high, the study grant and housing supplement max. EUR 499,60 per month is not enough.) In order to encourage more students to take student loan instead of going to work, the government has created a type of student loan tax deduction system. In other words, students who have started their studies in academic year 2005/2006 or thereafter are entitled to a tax deduction for any student loan debt they may have, if they have completed their degree in the target time (5 years) and if at the end of the month of graduation they have more than EUR 2500 in outstanding student loan debt taken out to finance their degree. The government guarantee for student loans is EUR 300 per month. The system has not yet proved to be very efficient that is not very many students have opted for the student loan since the reform. Local activity: VATU Valmistumisen tukeminen (Support for graduation) Finnish universities introduced the two-cycle degree system based on the Bologna principles in year The transition period, during which engineering students could choose whether to finish their degree according to the old degree system or whether to transfer to the new degree system, ended in July The main objective of the VATU project was to support those students, who were already at the final stage of their studies and/or whose study time had prolonged, to graduate before the end of the transition period. The project took place at Aalto University School of Science and Technology (former Helsinki University of Technology), Department of Electrical and Communication Engineering. Similar activities took place also in Page 9 of 11

10 other faculties/departments at the university as well as in other universities in Finland. Already by the end of August 2010, the number of graduate engineers and architects from Aalto University School of Science and Technology was 1754 graduates, compared to the total of 1100 the year before. Page 10 of 11

11 List of references Aalto University School of Science and Technology; student admission. Aalto University School of Science and Technology; students and degrees. Aalto University School of Science and Technology; students, credit scores and degrees. Davies, J. Weko, T. Kim, L. and Thulstrup, E. (2009) OECD Reviews of Tertiary Education: Finland. KELA The Social Insurance Institution of Finland: financial aid for students. KELA The Social Insurance Institution of Finland: student financial aid KOTA online service: OECD Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. (2009) Education at a Glance Opetusministeriö. (2007) Opintojen keskeyttämisen vähentämisen toimenpideohjelma. Keskustelumuistio Opetusministeriön monisteita 2007:2. Opetus- ja kulttuuriministeriö. (2010) Korkeakouluopintojen edistymisen seurannan kehittäminen. Opetus- ja kulttuuriministeriön työryhmämuistioita ja selvityksiä 2010:9. Opintojen seurantahanke ; raportit. Statistics Finland: dropout in education. Tekniikan akateemisten liitto. (2009) Teknillisen korkeakoulutuksen kansallinen profiilikartta. Tekniikan yhteistyöryhmä. Toimittaneet Sanna Allt, Kati Korhonen-Yrjänheikki ja Jarna Savolainen. Page 11 of 11