DELEGATES at a conference in York have heard how a recent research project looking at students who do not complete their higher education courses has found that there is a lack of realistic advice and support for those starting courses, especially to those from non-traditional entry backgrounds.

The conference, held at York St John College, was told that preliminary findings of the project, sponsored by Learning Skills Council North Yorkshire, indicate that about 400 people will leave higher education every year in York and North Yorkshire alone.

Delegates from schools, careers services, student support services, further education colleges and higher education institutes were invited to the conference, entitled Improving Student Retention in Higher Education, to listen to the findings of research carried out by the team from York St John College and discuss ways to improve student retention.

Speakers at the conference included David Harbourne, executive director of the Learning Skills Council (LSC) North Yorkshire, Dr Deborah Davies and Dr Peter Williams, of York St John College, Dr Caroline Walker-Gleaves, principal lecturer at the University of Sunderland, and Adrian Game, director of the Associated Sixth Form of St Aidan's and St John Fisher schools, Harrogate.

Dr Davies, researcher on the "retention" project said: "The research identified a number of reasons why students fail to complete their courses and highlighted the importance of managing retention during the early phase of engagement in higher education."

Working with students and staff from four universities and higher education colleges in the North-East region over the last two years, York St John researchers found that students often began unsuitable degree programmes because of lack of information and unrealistic expectations.

Therefore honest and thorough advice about all aspects of a programme and student life was essential before students made their programme/college choices.

Updated: 11:22 Wednesday, July 14, 2004