Understanding the Hidden Crisis: A Multi-Dimensional Analysis of Student Dropout Factors in Higher Education

Authors

  • Tommy Turner University of Economics and Management
  • Lucie Depoo University of Economics and Management

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24368/jates404

Keywords:

student dropout, higher education, attrition factors, institutional challenges, student retention

Abstract

Student dropout affects 40-80% of higher education students globally, yet limited research examines institutional practices in private business education. Building on Tinto's and Bean's theoretical frameworks, this study analyses multidimensional dropout factors through content analysis of 287 student responses from a private business university (2017-2025). Using validated coding methodology (κ = 0.87), nine categories emerged: financial issues (75 occurrences), communication problems (65), academic misalignment (55), assessment issues (45), administrative burden (40), format inflexibility (35), cultural concerns (30), technical problems (25), and personal circumstances (150). Key institutional barriers included high costs (28), poor information quality (18), curriculum mismatch (20), and electronic testing criticism (18). While personal circumstances dominated, substantial institutional factors represent addressable barriers. The research contributes theoretically by empirically validating dropout categorizations and practically by providing a transformation framework successfully implemented by the case institution through student-centred reforms.

Downloads

Published

2025-10-12

How to Cite

Turner, T., & Depoo, L. (2025). Understanding the Hidden Crisis: A Multi-Dimensional Analysis of Student Dropout Factors in Higher Education. Journal of Applied Technical and Educational Sciences, 15(1), ArtNo: 404. https://doi.org/10.24368/jates404

Issue

Vol. 15 No. 1 (2025): 2025 in progress

Section

Articles and Studies

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Tommy Turner, Lucie Depoo

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The submitting author warrants that the submission is original and that she/he is the author of the submission 
together with the named co-authors; to the extend the submission incorporates text passages, figures, data or 
other material from the work of others, the submitting author has obtained any necessary permission. 
Articles in this journal are published under the Creative Commons Attribution Licence (CC-BY), the author retains 
the copyright. By submitting an article the author grants to this journal the non-exclusive right to publish it 
(e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book).