Why graduate surveys?

Graduate surveys have been carried out centrally coordinated by the DLS divisionat Fulda University of Applied Sciences in close cooperation with the Institute for Applied Statistics (ISTAT) since the winter semester 2008/09 as part of the nationwide "Cooperation Project Graduate Studies (KOAB)". Based on the data from the surveys of the last few years, it has already been possible to make adjustments and improvements to the fit between studies and professional reality as part of the study programme development. The feedback from graduates is an important database for the development of the university and the improvement of offerings in the departments or service facilities of the university. Within the framework of the nationwide research project, approximately 70,000 graduates from more than 60 universities are surveyed annually. In this way, among other things, the survey results of individual subjects can be compared with a suitable benchmark, which enables targeted quality management.

What topics do they include?

With the help of the graduate survey, data can be obtained that depict the situation of the graduates, their career and their retrospective assessment of the study programme. Among other things, the following questions should be answered: What did the graduates do after completing their studies? In which occupations and fields of activity do they become employed and under which conditions do they work? Does the professional activity follow their studies appropriately and how do they assess their studies in retrospect?

How are they carried out?

The graduate survey is conducted annually in autumn/winter. All graduates of the previous examination year (Bachelor's and Master's programmes) are invited by post to take part in the survey. Thus, the survey forms the end point of a continuous study progress evaluation. The data will belinked to the situation in the introductory stage of the study (first-year students survey) as well as the actual situation in the study programme (midterm survey). The linking of different survey data enables Fulda University of Applied Sciences to identify, for example, certain university conditions that hinder or promote studying.

ISTAT is responsible for the overall coordination of the project. Further information on the KOAB project and the contact persons can be found here (German only).

To see the previous results of the graduate surveys, click HERE. (The results are only available in German.)