Strategic factors for systematic monitoring of evasion in undergraduate courses

Abstract

The dropout rates in higher education is a complex phenomenon and represents a concern in management of higher education institutions. In Brazil, there is no official guidance for systematizing the collection and calculation of evasion. This paper presents a methodology that allows the identification of strategic factors that are capable of supporting a systematic monitoring of dropout rates. The work was divided into two stages. In the first stage was carried out a systematization of data from the case study's environment, for the analysis of dropout rates, using as a data source the Census.The result was that from the Census data model, the indicators can be extracted systematically involving all courses and teaching centers of the higher education institution. In the second stage, the tacit knowledge of the institution's experts that developed by teachers who passed the courses coordination function was sought. This step used Delphi method of scientific research, to define consensually, which factors are more important in causes of evasion. As a result, it was prepared a panel on which the main causes of dropout rates. From this panel, it is possible to elaborate strategies and actions that allow to minimize these factors and their influence in the rates of evasion of the institution.