The Journey to Improving International Student Engagement

INTRODUCTION

Low levels of engagement cause damage across the board – results, satisfaction, and most markedly, drop-out rates. Student drop-out is creeping up across North America with college dropout rates averaging 40% for undergraduate students, and up to 50% for public universities. This has a severe impact on an institution’s bottom line. A study by Stanford revealed a student who leaves before graduating can cost an institution up to $40,000.

Engaging with international students poses its own unique challenges. Universities must understand how different cultures, customs, and confidence all play a part in engagement, and seek guidance from experts to learn how to best connect with them.