Tracer studies are commonly conducted across Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) worldwide to provide feedback to inform decisions for improving studies/training or for research on the relationship between education and work. In keeping with this, the College of Science in April 2023 commissioned a committee to coordinate tracer studies in the College and to build a database of its past students. This report is the outcome of the activities of the College Tracer Committee and in particular the findings of the first-ever formal tracer studies in the College of Science.

This online survey targeted alumni who completed their studies between 2011 and 2021. The survey instrument was created using Google Forms, and consisted of 41 questions covering several thematic areas including history of employment and current status, income levels, relationship of job to course of study, academic pathways being pursued, College of Science experiences, and recommendations for continuous improvement. With the help of the University Information and Technology Service (UITS), bulk text messages (SMS) containing a link and a QR code to the Google Form were sent to 11000 graduates within the specified target group.

The link and the QR code were also shared on various alumni WhatsApp platforms. A total of 1192 graduates responded to the invitation, giving a response rate of 10.8%. Descriptive analyses were performed on the data obtained following screening to remove duplicate entries and identification of key thematic areas. Results were analyzed at three levels – College, Faculty and Department. Key findings of the study are summarized below according to the identified thematic areas:

Report of the CollegeTracer Studies