Active search as strategy to contain dropouts in higher education

Abstract

This article aims to present the potential of active search as a strategy to contain dropout in higher education during the Covid-19 pandemic. Having the perception of low student adherence to the Remote Emergency Education academic cycles (ERE), the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR) in Palotina established in March 2021 the Commission for Studies and Strategies for Containing Evasion during Pandemic Times. Among the strategies adopted to support the work of the Working Groups created within the scope of this commission, an active search for undergraduate students who did not enroll after the resuming the 2020 academic calendar was conducted. Thus, through a qualitative approach and through the use of a participatory research method, it was possible to identify the reasons why students did not reapply their enrollment to the university, and try to rescue those who lost their connection with the campus due to social distancing, but who have not made the decision to leave the course permanently. The results of active search as a strategy to contain dropout in higher education evidenced the importance of strengthening direct institutional contact with students to reduce dropout rates. The proposed actions can be adapted and improved for application in other university contexts.