Exploring dropout risk in higher education in Croatia: An empirical analysis

Josip Šabić and Saša Puzić
Institute for Social Research in Zagreb, Croatia

The study examines the association of social background, academic-related and institution-related factors with indicators of higher education dropout risk, i.e. students' perceived probability of graduating and their consideration of leaving their studies. Bivariate analysis and multilevel logistic models were used to analyse data from 1533 students from 25 study programs of the University of Zagreb, Croatia. The results confirmed the assumption that higher education dropout risk may be associated with different factors (i.e. social background, academic and institution-related characteristics), but also that there may be differences regarding the two indicators of perceived dropout risk. Moreover, the analysis revealed that perceived dropout risk may be viewed as part of a process of self-selection in which a combination of different factors leads a student to withdraw from higher education. Accordingly, the impact of the covariates of dropout risk should not be viewed only relative to each other, but should be evaluated in the context of educational decision-making net of academic ability.
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Authors: Josip Šabić is a research associate at the Institute for Social Research in Zagreb, Centre for Educational Research and Development, Croatia. He received a PhD in psychology at the University of Zagreb. He studies educational inequalities and transitions as well as the determinants of students' academic aspirations and achievement.works as a senior research associate at the Institute for Social Research in Zagreb, Centre for Educational Research and Development, Croatia. He obtained his PhD in sociology at the University of Zagreb. He studies how socio-cultural and institutional factors play a role in the mechanisms of reproduction of existing educational inequalities. Email: josip@idi.hr Dr Saša Puzić works as a senior research associate at the Institute for Social Research in Zagreb, Centre for Educational Research and Development, Croatia. He obtained his PhD in sociology at the University of Zagreb. He studies how socio-cultural and institutional factors play a role in the mechanisms of reproduction of existing educational inequalities. Email: puzic@idi.hr Please cite as: Šabić, J. & Puzić, S. (2022). Exploring dropout risk in higher education in Croatia: An empirical analysis. Issues in Educational Research, 32(3), 1153-1173. http://www.iier.org.au/iier32/sabic.pdf