Comparison of industrial engineering programs in Colombia based on standardized test results

Area of Science:

• Engineering Education Research
• Higher Education Quality Assessment
• Educational Measurement and Evaluation

Background:

• The SaberPRO Exam is a key indicator of industrial engineering graduate quality in Colombia.
• Evaluating Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) based on student performance is crucial for quality assurance.
• Previous analyses have not comprehensively compared HEIs across funding, region, and accreditation using SaberPRO data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the performance of industrial engineering programs in Colombian HEIs using SaberPRO test results (2016-2018).
• To analyze performance variations based on HEI funding (public vs. private), geographical region, and accreditation status.
• To identify key competencies measured by the SaberPRO Exam and exemplary programs.

Main Methods:

• Data collection and analysis of SaberPRO test results from 82 Colombian HEIs.
• Application of Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and hypothesis testing for mean comparisons.
• Utilization of Multiple Factor Analysis (MFA) to determine competency discriminative power.

Main Results:

• Significant performance disparities exist between public and private HEIs.
• Accredited programs demonstrate higher performance compared to non-accredited ones.
• Multiple Factor Analysis identified key competencies and highlighted 15 exemplary industrial engineering programs.

Conclusions:

• Funding, region, and accreditation are significant factors influencing industrial engineering program performance in Colombia.
• The SaberPRO Exam effectively differentiates program quality and identifies areas for improvement.
• Findings provide valuable insights for policymakers, HEIs, and stakeholders in engineering education.