Students’ Motivation and Adaptation to Higher Education: The Case of Portuguese Higher Professional Technical Programs

Abstract

Portuguese Higher Professional Technical Programs constitute a flexible way to access Higher Education and are comparable to short-cycle higher education degrees in other countries. However, these programs in Portugal tend to have lowest percentage of new students and higher dropout rates compared to bachelor’s and master’s degrees. A qualitative exploratory and descriptive study was employed to understand students’ (N=47) reasons for choosing a Higher Professional Technical Programs, their adaptation process, and reasons for persisting and abandoning the program. Students primarily chose one of these programs due to their interest in the scientific field and learning process, the attractive access conditions, and for not being admitted to their first-choice degree program. The main reasons for persisting are grounded on the interest in the scientific field and learning process, and employment perspectives; and for abandonment are related to vocation and career, and pedagogical relationship and learning process. Although most students revealed intrinsic motivation, the process of adaptation can influence their decision to either persist or abandon the short-cycle higher education degree.