Abstract

The benefits associated to investments in tertiary education are well-grounded. University graduates have better labour market outcomes and health conditions, are more satisfied with their job, and actively participate in civic life and politics. Although statistics and research confirm these advantages, the share of people that reach the highest level of education is still narrow; even amongst individuals who start university after obtaining a high-school diploma, only a small share achieve a university degree. Thus, this paper aims to discuss, after a brief introduction about the theoretical frameworks, the determinants of university dropout; focus is placed on Italy, a country where this phenomenon is particularly worrying. The literature review shows that cultural constraints play a greater role than economic and financial constraints in determining higher education outcomes. Finally, we propose some policy interventions that may tackle this issue.