Progressing a whole of institution Retention and Success Strategy

This paper reports one university’s experience in progressing a whole-of-institution retention and success strategy. Through a process of collaboration and stakeholder engagement, the University released its inaugural Retention and Success Strategy at the end of 2015, founded upon five guiding principles of student success, and articulating eight goals, with related implementation strategies. Key areas of challenge are described, specifically in relation to the need to coordinate competing priorities across the organisation under the retention lens, and the centrality of systems as an enabler of timely identification and intervention. These are situated alongside examples of success and progression of the strategy, most notably through intentional collaboration between central organisational units and faculty academic partners in the data-driven early detection and follow up of students at risk.