The successful integration of the 1st year agricultural students into the university life. Methodological reference marks

Abstract

The communication presents in detail a strategic plan of the management from the Agriculture Faculty to support the 1st year students who risk dropping out of university and who belong mainly to the disadvantaged groups. The educational approach was settled after the initial analysis of the causes that lead to the university dropout phenomenon. Some students come from families with low income; others live only with one parent or their parents work abroad (19.8%); some of them live in the countryside (45.3%); others come from disadvantaged social groups or they risk dropping out of university (86.6% in the academic year 2016/2017). In the academic year 2015-2016, 77 first year students were expelled, out of a total of 376, which represents 20.5 %. In the academic year 2016-2017, 321 first year students were enrolled, out of which 278 students are in a risky situation; 174 students belong to disadvantaged social and economic groups; the first year students of the graduation cycle do not have the necessary learning skills. In order to diminish the university dropout, the following efforts will be made: to find out the students’ individual particular features according to their age; to focus on the students about the teaching-learning-evaluating approaches; to initiate and to carry out social and emotional development programs; to counsel the students individually so that they overcome adapting issues which occur in the first year of the bachelor’s cycle; to acquire efficient learning techniques that could open for them new horizons to the lifelong education; partnerships among families, university, community and economic agents.