Motivation and attrition in engineering students

Abstract

In the engineering profession we need to reflect continually on the students we are training, their suitability and ability to become the next generation of engineers, facing an ever-changing future. We need to face our responsibility in helping to develop the skills required for graduates of tomorrow and ensuring that we are not losing our best students to other professions. A survey has been conducted at Imperial College highlighting problem areas of students at risk from demotivation within engineering courses. Forty students who had not completed their course at the college were surveyed and 10 students were interviewed. The issues they raised have been analysed and intervention strategies have been identified which are presently being developed at the college as part of the ongoing quality improvement of courses. It is hoped that the approaches discussed can be disseminated further within Imperial College and to other universities.