Students who fail to graduate are costly to universities, colleges and training providers. With more than 25% of college students dropping out without any qualification, the problem of student retention has quickly become a priority for education providers. This is where student experience comes in. In higher education, it’s key to prioritize the experience of students not only to ensure they graduate but to have an engaged and active student base that become energized advocates and alumni.
source: https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/8-ways-to-improve-student-experience-and-boost-retention
Dear Eduard Babulak
I'm not sure this answers your question, but one thing that may help student retention may be management of their expectations. Many more of us start Master's and PhD programs, chasing an academic dream or high-paid job. The reality is perhaps that in most domains, the supply (students with degrees) is much more than the demand. Perhaps this realization (and reality-check) may help demotivate students from finishing their courses? I don't know, just a theory. However, of course I guess universities wouldn't like to be told to onboard less students rather than more, no?
Where I was teaching, the graduation rate is extremely low- been told 30%. I suggested a mentor program not in the general or abstract but specifically to follow students (individually through a course of study and to help them overcome whatever is in their way of finishing what they start. A training program may be required and a limit to what faculty can do besides referring students to other professionals.
To be clear, I could have used such training this past semester. Might have helped me hold on to a student.
Dear Mirzakhmet Syzdykov
, I really like your perspective there, I think especially PhD candidates buy the academia dream and are very ill-prepared to be citizens and members of society - we all hope that we'll be employed in the glass tower or get a very lucrative job that will leave us isolated from society.