Factors associated with student dropout at BICU Bonanza Regional University Center, 2019-2023

Abstract

This study analyzes the factors associated with university student dropout at the Bonanza Regional University Center of Bluefields Indian & Caribbean University (CUR-BICU), located in the North Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region of Nicaragua. The research was carried out under a mixed approach with an explanatory sequential design and a predominance of qualitative methods. A non-probability convenience sampling was applied to select a sample of 237 students who dropped out between 2019 and 2023, combining survey techniques, direct observation, and focus groups. The analysis revealed that dropout results from a complex interaction of socioeconomic, personal, cultural, and institutional factors, highlighting the lack of funding, limited family support, weak academic foundations, and the absence of active pedagogical methodologies. At the institutional level, deficiencies were identified in the infrastructure, tutoring programs, and integration strategies, which compromises the students' sense of belonging. The findings allow for a deeper understanding of the causes of dropout and provide valuable input for the design of inclusive, culturally relevant, and sustainable university policies that strengthen student retention and academic success in vulnerable contexts. The clarity of the results underscores the need for a comprehensive transformation in institutional policies, serving as a fundamental basis for the development of future research that validates the effectiveness of retention strategies adapted to the particularity of the Northern Caribbean Coast.