The primary aim of the joint project is to take an interdisciplinary approach towards integrating previous findings on rates of success and drop-out rates among higher education students to produce a comprehensive theoretical model. The model should also adequately reflect the relevant aspects of the specific study situation of international students in Germany.

The research project is interdisciplinary in its approach and thus includes sociological and psychological aspects in order to answer the following questions:

• What sociodemographic factors and predispositions influence rates of success and withdrawal of international students? (e.g. gender, social origin)
• What role do political and legal frameworks play (e.g. regulations on access to higher education, attendance of a preparatory course)?
• What psychological factors affect rates of success and withdrawal of international students (e.g. personality, motivation to study)?
• What acculturation strategies of international students have a beneficial impact – directly or indirectly – on the successful completion of studies?
• What social factors affect rates of success and withdrawal of international students (e.g. social capital, family situation)?
• What institutional and course-related factors affect rates of success and drop-out rates among international students (e.g. type of higher education institution, main teaching language, the institution’s integration and support measures)?
• Are there certain key events during the course of study that can be identified as particularly critical for course progression, or which significantly increase the tendency to drop out (e.g. exams, experiences of xenophobia)?