INTERESTS AND NEEDS IN THE MONITORING FOR GRADUATES. A CASE STUDY

The connection between university and graduate is dispersed once he finished his studies. The NPS (National Polytechnic School) during the last years has attempted to deploy monitoring programs and projects to alumni without success. Given this reality, this research aims knowing the needs and interests of linkage by two main actors, graduates and authorities. Information gathering uses a questionnaire with closed questions directed at graduates of the last three years. For university authorities was applied a structured interview. This information was supplemented with revision and systematization of best practices carried out by recognized regional and global universities.

The analysis of information from these three edges identified:
1) international experiences show the existence of mechanisms for linkage and communication, strategically articulated, such as clubs, events, virtual communities, newsletters, surveys, job, among others;
2) 93% of graduates said they have not actively participated in outreach activities with the university. However, 97% of the graduates expressed their desire to maintain the link with NPS; and
3) all authorities agree with the need to create a linkage unit for graduates. In addition, they state that each faculty should have a monitoring committee to feeding back into the institutional unit.

The information gathered will serve as input for a second stage, to propose a “Graduates Monitoring and Linking System” for the NPS, defining responsibilities and effectively integrate linkage mechanisms, which to the moment are absent and far between. Thus, NPS not only will have a tool for two-way communication with its graduates, but will be complying with the requirements of the LOES (Organic Law on Higher Education) which states that all institutions of higher education system, public and private, must implement a system for monitoring their graduates and their results will be submitted for the information of CEAACES (Council of evaluation, Accreditation and Quality Assurance of Higher Education) of Ecuador.