Determinants of timely graduation in Chilean universities
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22415212 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Olga Espinoza (0000-0001-7525-2980, University of Tarapacá), Oscar Espinoza (University of Tarapacá, corresponding author), Bruno Corradi (0000-0002-4217-0900, University of Tarapacá), Luis González (0000-0003-2651-3528, Departamento de Educación), Luis Sandoval (0000-0002-8988-7888, Universidad Tecnológica Metropolitana), Noel Mcginn (0000-0001-7132-2136, Harvard Graduate School of Education), Yahira Larrondo González (0000-0002-6057-3586, Universidad Tecnológica Metropolitana) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 50 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 634-650 |
| Publication date | 2026-04-21 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Further and Higher Education (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0309-877X • E-ISSN: 1469-9486 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/0309877x.2026.2622996 |
| OpenAlex | W7127184130 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 49 |
University graduation in Chile has in recent years become a highly debated topic, stimulated by the low rate of on-time graduation. Today only 16% of all students entering higher education graduate in the time indicated in the study plan. The study uses a discrete time multilevel survival model to analyse the relationship between student’s characteristics, field of study, academic progression, and timely graduation. Data were obtained from the academic records of students in an intentional sample of 10 selective Chilean universities. The data covered the first 16 semesters for all students entering in 2010. Academic progression was measured based on completed credits, failed courses and academic load. The results show the significance of course failure. In the Chilean case, those students who failed only one course during their university career were 20% less likely to graduate on time than those who failed none. The lack of opportunity for students to recover quickly from course failure limits the system’s ability to improve its on-time graduation rate. Flexibilization of the curriculum, providing alternative course sequences, would be helpful to avoid unnecessary delays in graduation.
Career development · Higher education · Postsecondary education · Higher Education and Employability · Higher Education Research Studies · Labor market dynamics and wage inequality
Research Methods in Education
Education at a Glance 2019
It’s About Time
Regression Models and Life-Tables
Fitting Linear Mixed-Effects Models Using lme4
An intensive approach for course repeating students at a Chilean University
The influence of different curriculum designs on students’ dropout rate
Using individual study profiles of first-year students in two different disciplines to predict graduation time
Tuning history in Latin America
Tourism education and curriculum design
A Temporal Investigation of Factors Related to Timely Degree Completion
Delayed Enrollment and Student Involvement
Making graduation matter
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |