The relational underpinning of retention and progression

This paper explore the fundamental issue of the of the student relationship with their University as a key underlying determinant of retention and progression.
The massification and marketisation of HE, along with government policy to widen access, has resulted in many issues for retention and progression. For example, students who are less well prepared for HE are more likely to drop out, the pressure to obtain a “good” degree may be contributing to incidences of plagiarism, the student who is working to pay their way may be generally less engaged in university life and their studies etc.[