Conference Program

This paper examines the phenomena of dropout and delayed graduation through the presentation and discussion of findings from a mixed‑methods research project conducted with students enrolled at Roma Tre University.

The Italian higher education system continues to exhibit comparatively high levels of dropout and significant delays in the attainment of tertiary qualifications (Cappa, Gavosto 2025). Among the primary contributing factors is the absence of a robust system for assessing students’ competencies and for supporting informed decisions regarding study pathways. In such conditions, when students lack motivation or clarity in their educational choices, the probability of academic stagnation or withdrawal increases markedly (Colombo, Salmieri 2022).

Extensive literature demonstrates that students’ integration into the academic community constitutes a critical factor in promoting persistence. Such integration manifests through regular participation in teaching activities, constructive interactions with faculty, engagement in extracurricular initiatives, and involvement in student networks and institutional programmes (Tinto 1994; Braxton 2003; Larson 2013). The present analysis therefore investigates whether—and in what respects—students perceive themselves as part of an academic community, in order to assess the extent to which this dimension supports their university trajectories.

The results emerging from both the questionnaire and interview phases indicate that students view the university as a pivotal context for personal development and intellectual growth, one that fosters “greater autonomy” and meaningful interaction with peers. Many respondents emphasized that their university experience has equipped them with valuable and transferable competencies relevant to both personal and professional spheres.

Crucially, students’ well‑being appears strongly associated with their level of integration into academic life. The development of relational networks with peers and faculty members is identified as essential not only for sustaining engagement with university studies but also for orienting vocational decision‑making, thereby enabling students to “refine their understanding of their specific professional vocation in coherence with their social and biographical trajectory” (Dewey 2020).

The study concludes that the dimension of “academic community” functions as a protective factor, fostering continuity in students’ progression and mitigating experiences of discouragement. This effect is further reinforced by orientation and tutoring initiatives and by the availability of services such as university cafeterias, study spaces, and digital environments.