Younger professors and female faculty boost student retention
A Bank of Italy working paper examines how faculty age and gender affect university student retention using Italian census data from 2010 to 2021. The study finds that younger professors improve retention for all students, while female faculty members benefit female students specifically.
Matching traits reduce dropouts
The researchers analyzed student-level administrative data covering the census of Italian university students enrolled between 2010 and 2021.
By exploiting quasi-random variation in student exposure to faculty demographics across cohorts within the same degree program, department, and university, the authors identified causal effects.
The findings show that students are 0.5 percentage points less likely to drop out or switch degree programs when exposed to younger professors, compared to those with older faculty.
Furthermore, female students exposed to a more gender-balanced faculty experience an identical 0.8 percentage point reduction in dropout or switching probabilities.
Italy's demographic imbalance
The Italian academic system provides a striking case study due to severe demographic imbalances.
Between 2013 and 2023, Italian universities recorded the highest share of academic staff aged 50 and over among all OECD countries, alongside one of the lowest proportions of female academics.
At the same time, Italy displays one of the lowest shares of tertiary-educated adults in the OECD, with only 22.3 percent holding a degree in 2024.
Younger instructors likely offer communication advantages and innovative teaching techniques, whereas female professors serve as vital role models for female students.
Demographic levers for higher education
This study provides rigorous causal evidence that who teaches matters just as much as what is taught.
Universities must look beyond curriculum design and actively address faculty age and gender imbalances.
Targeted hiring policies could prove to be a remarkably cost-effective tool for curbing dropout rates.