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Enhancing university students' retention: the role of faculty members

Author

Listed:
  • Francesca Modena

    (Bank of Italy)

  • Giulia Martina Tanzi

    (Bank of Italy)

  • Marco Tonello

    (Bank of Italy)

  • Antonio Veronico

    (Bank of Italy)

Abstract

This paper examines how the characteristics of the faculty members, mainly in terms of gender and age, affect university students' retention. Using student-level administrative data from the census of Italian university students, we exploit the quasi-random variation in the exposure to female and young professors across cohorts, within the same degree program, department, and university. Students' retention improves when the characteristics of the students match those of faculty members: while younger professors benefit all students, female faculty members have positive effects on female students only.

Suggested Citation

  • Francesca Modena & Giulia Martina Tanzi & Marco Tonello & Antonio Veronico, 2026. "Enhancing university students' retention: the role of faculty members," Questioni di Economia e Finanza (Occasional Papers) 1038, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    • Handle: RePEc:bdi:opques:qef_1038_26
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    File URL: https://www.bancaditalia.it/pubblicazioni/qef/2026-1038/QEF_1038_26.pdf
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J18 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Public Policy

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