%0 Thesis
%9 Master
%A Khin, Vannak
%D 2024
%F theses_frw:4772
%P 63
%T A Mixed-Methods Study of Educational Persistence among Greek Undergraduate Students in Lesvos, Greece
%U https://frw.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/4772/
%X This research explores transformational experiences of Greek students studying at the  University of the Aegean in Lesvos. In Greece, national panhellenic exam results determine  what universities students can attend; social pressures and educational expectations factor in  the ultimate selection process, leading students to study in Lesvos under tenuous conceptions  of choice. Through a critical realist lens, this research employs two mixed methods:  semi-structured interviews and survival analysis. Persistence factors are studied to reveal how  islandness can shape student experiences and outcomes. Ultimately, this work argues that  unique spatial and temporal dimensions of studying in an island provide an unexpected  transformative experience for Greek students which can be utilized to strengthen the student  experience. Policy and practice recommendations are formed to address educational  disparities in island universities.