Alumni Rating Index and Monitoring Dashboard Technology to Improve University’s Performance and Service Quality

Abstract

Limited number of university ranking systems have considered the perspectives of alumni or individuals who have availed themselves of the educational programs or services provided by the institutions. In Malaysia, there is a lack of comprehensive rankings or assessments that primarily focus on assessing university performance through the lens of student experiences. In the absence of authentic user experiences, prospective students and other relevant parties commonly rely on conventional academic rankings such as the QS or THE to ascertain the quality of a university. The primary aims of this research endeavour encompass the identification of pivotal variables for the evaluation of higher learning institution’s performance, the creation of an alumni rating index, and the establishment of a performance monitoring tool utilizing dashboard technology. The goals are to enhance performance and service quality of institutions of higher education. The present study utilizes a quantitative research approach and centres its investigation on many cohorts of graduates originating from a prominent Malaysian university. A rigorous cluster sampling procedure was implemented. The assessment of alumni rating is conducted across twelve dimensions, with each component being evaluated using appropriate variables that enable the calculation of the desired index and facilitate the execution of intricate studies. The analytics that were performed and the alumni rating index that was calculated were subsequently shared with stakeholders through the use of an analytical dashboard. The dashboard was developed on user experience (UX) design principles. The evaluation of the produced dashboard is thereafter conducted by a group of stakeholders who have direct involvement in enhancing alumni engagement. The findings suggest that the university attained elevated ratings in the domains of social involvement, educational resources, and financial value.  However, the scores for financial aid, student development, and student well-being were significantly lower. Despite the provision of various financial support, the respondents hold the belief that these forms of assistance are inadequate. The paper concludes by demonstrating the implementation of an alumni rating dashboard. The research is expected to facilitate the development of a localise university rankings and ratings, as well as informed policy-making efforts at the ministry level.