A quarterly publication of AQU Catalunya

90

July 2018

The Catalan University Quality Assurance Agency (AQU Catalunya) has extensive experience in designing and conducting surveys on graduate employment outcomes and destinations.

As the quality assurance agency responsible for higher education and the university system in Catalonia, AQU Catalunya is very aware of the importance for universities of data and figures on the employment outcomes of graduates of the different courses that they offer.

The availability of indicators on graduate employment outcomes is essential for the successful monitoring and accreditation of recognised degree programmes, as well as for the design of higher education provision. It is also important to provide students, including prospective students, with indicators on degree outcomes in order for them to make decisions based on all of the available information.

What does the 2020 Graduate Employment Outcomes Survey offer?

Universities and other higher education institutions both in Spain and abroad are being invited to take part in the forthcoming survey of graduate employment outcomes.

• Basic survey data: The next survey is to be carried out in 2020 and will focus on the employment outcomes of graduates who completed their studies and were awarded a degree in the 2015-2016 academic year in the case of bachelor's programmes, and 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 in the case of master's and/or doctoral programmes. The survey will include questions, among others, on:

• Reliability and representativeness: the information stemming from the survey will be reliable and representative of graduate employment outcomes of degree programmes delivered at participating institutions.
• Recognised classification for comparability: the programme catalogue used in the survey is based on International Standard Classification of Education codes. This joint classification allows for the comparison of outcomes with other universities.

What products will each participating institution receive?

Each institution (faculty/school/educational facility) taking part will receive a series of products that will provide them with a complete analysis of the employment outcomes and destinations of their graduates. These include:

• Microdata with all survey answers: the institution receives a file with all of the information obtained from the survey. These data, accordingly classified, are useful for more in-depth analysis of the characteristics of the different courses analysed.
• Public data on a multi-lingual web platform: for viewing data on graduate employment outcomes and destinations, which can be customised and displayed for personal viewing together with data of other participating institutions. For an example, see here.
• A comparative indicators report for participating programmes: institutions will receive a report with the most important indicators of graduate employment outcomes with a comparison of the outcomes of different degree courses. The design will depend on the institution's individual preferences.
• Report of findings: a complete report will be drawn up, on demand, on the overall situation of graduates of all degree courses analysed for each educational facility. See, for example, the reports designed to present the findings of the 2017 employment outcomes survey of graduates of first degrees for all universities in Catalonia as a whole.

Within the scope of the university system in Catalonia, the first survey of graduate employment outcomes was carried out in 2001 on the initiative of the Social Councils of the public and private universities in Catalonia. Since then, the survey has been carried out once every three years and is representative at degree-course level. All universities and affiliated institutions in Catalonia now have data on the employment outcomes and destinations of their graduates.

Would you like to participate or do you need more information?

For more information, click on the following link [es].

You can also get in contact with us prior to 30 September 2018 at: secretariat@aqu.cat.