Personalised outreach to students on leave of absence to reduce attrition risk

Taking a leave of absence (LoA) has been identified as an important precursor and risk factor for attrition for many university students. This study describes a proactive outreach intervention to students on LoA through the lens of Tinto’s theory of student integration. Historical trends in the university of interest indicate just under 9% of students took a LoA between 2013 and 2018. Outreach reduced risk of attrition by approximately 9%. This proportion was maintained after controlling for equity and demographic factors, prior academic achievement and discipline of study (risk reduction approximately 8%). To our knowledge, this study is the first to describe these data and link them to theoretical models, proposing the importance of a transition pedagogy or re-integration model for students returning from LoA. Significantly, this research highlights the importance of social integration and assistance in overcoming problems with academic integration and external commitments, to students from all backgrounds.