STUDENTS PERMANENCE ATTRIBUTES IN PUBLIC INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION

Abstract

Higher education in Brazil has experienced significant growth in recent years, while the permanence, retention and students dropout are issues that have required increased efforts of managers of Higher Education Institutions to ensure that the student will join the institution, receive training and in end the diploma. This study aimed to identify students permanence attributes in a public institution of higher education of Paraná. To do this, a survey of 228 students enrolled in the first half of 2014 was conducted. The research was descriptive with quantitative approach. The data collection instrument was a structured questionnaire divided into two parts, the first, closed questions with a seven-point scale Likert, the second, quantitative and qualitative variables to describe the sample profile. Regression analysis indicated that student confidence in the institution, the financial situation of the student and how the institution met their expectations, were the direct exponents of permanence. These constructs explained 11.3% of the total variability of the permanence trend. Final considerations, research limitations and suggestions for future research are part of the final stage of work.