STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT

One of our primary goals is to facilitate the intellectual, personal, and professional development of the diverse student body. To ensure systematic assessment of institutional effectiveness, BAU evaluates outcomes in key student achievement areas, student learning, and the perceptions of stakeholders (students, graduates, employers, and faculty). The key student achievement areas (graduation, retention, and placement rates) are prepared as Campus Accountability Reports. Below is the campus level retention, graduation, and placement rates by years:

Student retention is a fundamental indicator of the ability to provide the learning environment that students need, the services that support student development, and the administrative capability to facilitate student growth. As such, student retention is considered an indirect, qualitative measure of student experience. Student retention is calculated using the formula prescribed as: within one academic year (current enrollment + all new enrollment) – any students who left the University.

Retention data are collected annually. We are proud of our ability to maintain campus-level outcomes at, or above, a benchmark of 80%. The MBA, the flagship program of the University, has had a retention rate of 81%, 86% and 92% in respective years since 2019. The Accounting, Economics and Finance, and Political Science and International Relations programs, with much smaller enrollment, have been able to maintain significantly high retention rates. Program level data for the last three years is shown below:

Another quantitative indicator of student achievement is graduation rates which is a key indicator of meeting the mission to enable students to enhance and achieve their academic potential. BAU uses 150% as the maximum time frame to report graduation rates. Since the first cohort of undergraduate programs started in 2017, BAU does not have reportable data. Program level graduation rates for master’s programs are shown in the following table.

Similarly, and consistent with the mission, the employment of graduates is a fundamental indicator of achieving the mission of helping students obtain the knowledge, skills, experiences, and qualifications necessary to advance professional careers. The University considers the number of students who pursue a higher level of education, other academic or civic interests and self-employment as indicators of student learning and achievement.

Student surveys are utilized to evaluate (1) student satisfaction with the quality of the courses and faculty teaching, (2) student perception of the quality of administrative services, and (3) online learning experience. These three instruments provide both qualitative and quantitative data that inform the comprehension and effectiveness of the educational programs and academic services.

Additionally, and equally enlightening, is the feedback provided through the graduate exit survey. The instrument assesses graduate perception of BAU regarding acquired competencies and skills used in current positions, new roles, or pursuing new opportunities. Employer satisfaction of graduates is another tool used to measure educational effectiveness. The survey confirms employment of the graduate in addition to evaluating employer satisfaction with overall job performance, demonstration of leadership, problem-solving, teamwork skills, and use of job-specific skills. The most critical feedback is the employer’s indication of hiring future graduates, as this reveals an overall impression of the quality, education, and professional preparedness of the graduate.