Academic support as a student retention policy: profile, conceptions, and institutional conditions in Brazilian federal universities
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1590/1982-57652026v31id297241Keywords:
higher education, academic support, student retentionAbstract
This article analyzes Academic Support services in Brazilian federal universities, focusing on the profile of professionals in the field, their conceptions about the service, the actions developed, and the institutional conditions that shape this practice. The exploratory study employed quantitative and qualitative data collected through a questionnaire answered by 74 professionals from 51 federal universities. Results indicate that Academic Support is a strategic component of student retention policies, although still marked by remediative conceptions and institutional limitations regarding structure, evaluation, and participation in decision-making. Most professionals work without specific initial training for higher education and seek to build theoretical foundations for their practice through stricto sensu graduate programs. Statistical analysis showed that a greater plurality of actions is associated with the presence of multidisciplinary teams and with participation in institutional decision-making — factors also associated with professionals' perceptions of preparedness and institutional recognition. Weaknesses in the evaluation of implemented actions were also identified. The findings highlight that the consolidation of Academic Support requires institutional strengthening, professional development, and the recognition of support for learning as a key dimension of student retention in higher education.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Michelle Cristine da Silva Puentedura, Soely Aparecida Jorge Polydoro

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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