ESPLAT 2025 conference: Scientific thinking in challenging times

Students at the University of Applied Sciences for Police and Public Administration in North Rhine-Westphalia (HSPV NRW) participate in psychological courses within dual degree programs for police service and public administration. Internal surveys conducted in recent years indicate that an increasing number of students at HSPV are leaving their studies without graduating. In a broader study of bachelor's programs at German universities, Heublein, Schmelzer, Sommer, and Wank (2012) identified a dropout and attrition rate of 35%. Thus, premature withdrawal from studies is a common occurrence, although a successful degree completion is desirable from both the students' perspective and in light of demographic changes and the growing shortage of skilled workers in Germany. Previous research suggests that a variety of personal and contextual factors influence academic success, although there is a lack of systematic longitudinal analyses in this area (Weber, Daniel, Becker & Bornkessel, 2018; Schulmeister, 2014). The present longitudinal study addresses this gap by examining the manifestation of academic success and various influencing factors at multiple measurement points throughout the course of study. The sample consists of 2,088 students from HSPV who began their studies in September 2021. Academic success is operationalized as performance in module exams as well as in terms of self-reported study satisfaction and dropout intentions. The study investigates influencing factors such as sociodemographic variables, previous academic performance, personality traits, motivation, learning strategies, social and academic integration, social support, and the compatibility of studies with other commitments. Preliminary results from the ongoing data analysis show that study satisfaction varies significantly among students and decreases on average over the course of study. Satisfaction with the content of the studies is more positive than satisfaction with the study conditions and the ability to manage study-related burdens. The complete results will be available by the time of the conference and will be discussed regarding their potential to inform teaching and learning concepts.