For several years, rates of student retention have been a major concern for Victoria University (VU). Given the competitive nature of the tertiary sector in Australia, improving retention rates has been a significant focus for universities A large body of research has been undertaken to e plore the various reasons behind a student’s decision to leave university, with each university exhibiting a unique pattern of attrition ates of retention and attrition often reflect the broader economic conte t the specific student cohort that a university attracts, and the courses and services it offers.

To date, VU has undertaken very little comprehensive research into attrition patterns, with Cao and Gabb’s report (2006) being the notable exception. It became increasingly clear that VU needed to conduct comprehensive research into the attrition patterns of students and, on the basis of this research, develop focused ways to improve student retention rates. In 2011, the Victoria Institute (then IDEAS) was tasked with undertaking a research project that would provide a nuanced and comprehensive understanding of the factors associated with attrition. This research would then form the basis for a series of recommendations to assist the University in improving its retention rates in the future.