Academic Publications On Higher Education Dropout: Recent Trends and Insights

Higher education dropout remains a critical global issue with profound im-plications for individuals, institutions, and societies. This study examines trends and insights from academic publications on dropout rates between 2021 and 2024, focusing on contributions from the United States, European Union, and the United Kingdom. Using SCOPUS data, the analysis explores key dimensions such as annual publication trends, influential journals, geo-graphic distribution, interdisciplinary focus, and funding patterns. Findings reveal a notable decline in publications in 2022, likely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by a resurgence in 2023 and 2024, with increasing cita-tions highlighting renewed academic engagement. Regional differences in dropout factors emerge, with financial constraints and academic prepared-ness being pivotal in the United States, while social and academic integra-tion dominate in the European Union and United Kingdom. Key journals like Sustainability and Education Sciences lead the discourse, emphasizing equity, technological adaptation, and sustainability. Emerging themes in-clude leveraging technology to mitigate dropout risks and providing tailored support for at-risk students. The study underscores the significance of inter-disciplinary research and collaboration in shaping effective interventions, ad-vocating for further exploration of innovative, scalable strategies to address this multifaceted challenge.