An international comparison of graduate outcome survey instruments: a critical reflection

As national budgets shrink and the debate over the role of higher education intensifies, there is increased interest in the ways in which universities not only educate students but prepare them for the labour market. Underpinning this discussion is often the data that arises from national or international graduate outcomes surveys, which speak to both the performance of specific universities and the system at large. In this paper, we explore the differences in three graduate outcome instruments from Australia, the UK, and Europe. In doing so, we seek to highlight the unique approach that each instrument takes towards the measurement of graduate outcomes and how these design choices represent what aspects are deemed important in each context. Through our research, we hope to inform future discussions over the various approaches to measure graduate outcomes and illuminate the methodological assumptions that accompany these choices.