In many higher education systems around the world increasing retention is vital if institutions are to produce the number of graduates identified through government projections to meet industry needs. Taking Australia as an example, the analysis uses results from a large-scale survey of undergraduate students to review rates and rationales for…

This project investigated the learning support needs of post-secondary Australian students with a psychiatric disability for the purpose of maximizing student retention. Fifteen focus groups were held throughout Australia with students, prospective students, teachers, support staff, and management. In addition, three surveys were completed by 256…

A study in 12 New South Wales (Australia) high schools investigated differences in motivation for Aboriginal (n=496), migrant (n=487), and Anglo (n=1172) students. A consistent picture of the urban Aboriginal child emerged, and key variables in his decision making (self-reliance, confidence, and goal direction) were identified as well as…

The experiences of young women in Victoria, Australia, who left school before completing their secondary education were examined to identify the issues facing female early school leavers and the policy implications of those issues. The study was based primarily on data from the Youth Research Centre's Disaffiliated Early School Leavers study, a…

In the early 1990s, Australian policymakers began explicitly promoting increased use of flexible delivery in vocational education and training (VET). Some researchers argued that many students lack the learning skills required to deal with the unique demands of flexible delivery. Concerns were also raised about the VET sector's capacity to help…