Graduate satisfaction needs subject context

Updated Oct 27, 2026

The relationship between graduate satisfaction, teaching and student support varied across academic fields in Catalonia. Josep Llach and Martí Casadesús examine these differences in a study published in Higher Education. This briefing covers their May 2026 preprint.

What the researchers examined

The analysis uses Catalan graduate survey data from 2018–2023, aggregated by bachelor's programme and year. Panel models relate overall satisfaction to teaching and learning, student support, and perceived learning outcomes across five academic fields.

Key findings

Teaching and learning had different associations across fields. Its relationship with satisfaction was significantly stronger in each other field than in Engineering and Architecture.

The association with student support varied by field. Its association was significant within Social and Legal Sciences and Engineering and Architecture. Only Arts and Humanities and Health Sciences differed significantly from the Engineering and Architecture reference group.

The learning-outcomes association did not differ significantly from the reference group.

The manuscript uses programme aggregates, broad fields and voluntary responses. Student composition and uneven pandemic effects may influence results. Its sample description and regression table also give inconsistent observation totals.

References

[Paper Source]: Josep Llach and Martí Casadesús. "Beyond “one size fits all”: graduate satisfaction across academic fields"

DOI: 10.1007/s10734-026-01782-3

Published online: 24 October 2026, Higher Education.

Version analysed: authors’ Research Square preprint, version 1, posted 18 May 2026. Manuscript DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9722752/v1.