Intervention for retention : how can academic and social support help universities keep their students?

Tinto's influential model of retention (1975; 2006) depicts academic and social integration as key factors affecting a student's decision to continue their study program. This paper reports on individual interviews with international students who were failing their courses at Central Queensland University Sydney and were subscribed to a monitoring program that assisted them improve their academic performance. Specific social and academic factors affecting their performance prior to and during their 'monitored' study are examined. The outcomes of this research will provide universities with a framework to improve international student retention through the identification and support of students at risk.