Abstract:

In this paper, we present a pioneering analysis aimed at characterising the graduate population of the public university centre, the Facultat d'Informàtica de Barcelona (FIB). The FIB has offered ICT (Information and Communication Technology) courses since 1977. This population has two characteristics of interest: graduates are trained in ICT—a young, rapidly evolving field—and have had the opportunity to participate in international mobility programmes managed by the FIB since 1991, primarily through the Erasmus student exchange programme.

The analysis covers the academic years from 1991/92 to 2022/23, and the graduate population examined consists of 9,637 unique individuals corresponding to 10,502 records. The objective was twofold:
(1) to determine the profile of graduates with regard to various characteristics (socio-economic, academic, personality type, mobility, and its assessment), and
(2) to compare the overall graduate population with those who participated in mobility programmes with regard to these characteristics.

Accordingly, the research questions guiding this research are:
(1) Are there characteristics that define FIB graduates, regardless of their degree and graduation year?
(2) Are there significant differences between graduates who have participated in mobility programmes and those who have not?
The data used in this work come from two sources:
(a) responses to a survey sent to all FIB graduates since 1991, in which respondents described certain personality characteristics and expressed their views on international mobility; and
(b) selected data from graduates’ official files, including socio-economic, academic and international mobility information, as well as data on internship agreements. The data were analysed using the CRISP-DM methodology and a range of statistical tools, such as multivariate linear models and logit models.

The results of this research allow us to characterise the typical FIB student (research question 1). Both expected characteristics—such as undertaking more internship agreements than international mobility programmes—and less expected ones were identified, including the lack of influence of secondary school type on entry grades and the role of income in degree choice. These findings are relevant because they can be used strategically to develop institutional policies that promote the centre’s programmes. The current context of declining birth rates, together with an increase in the range of ICT training options, makes it essential to anticipate less favourable student recruitment scenarios than those observed in recent years.

With regard to research question 2, the analysis identifies three profiles based on survey responses. One of these profiles, characterised by openness and adventurousness, includes students with the most positive views on mobility, as well as those who regret not having participated in a mobility programme. In addition, significantly fewer students combine internships and mobility programmes than undertake internships alone, while no substantial income differences are observed between these groups. Overall, this paper provides evidence supporting the continued institutional promotion of international mobility as a distinguishing element of training and personal development.

Based on the answers to the research questions, new strategies for promoting academic programmes and international mobility can be developed, making use of the identified profiles.

Keywords:

Higher education, computer science education, student profile analysis, international student mobility.