Francielle Marques Do Nascimento will defend her doctoral thesis entitled “Towards Responsible Higher Education Institutional Analytics: A Study of Biases and Dependencies on Student Satisfaction”, supervised by Davinia Hernández-Leo and Carlos Alberto Castillo Ocaranza.
Abstract: Institutional analytics is a growing field of research and practice that promotes data-driven decision-making in higher education institutions. Through several data sources, institutions perform analyses with different purposes to provide actionable insight to assess and improve decisions in academic management. Student satisfaction surveys play an important role in the field of institutional analytics, providing valuable insights to assess the quality of courses and inform academic promotions. However, several studies have shown the presence of biases and influential factors on student satisfaction that may lead to unfair decisions in higher education. In this context, this doctoral thesis states the importance of understanding potential biases considering different factors influencing survey results. The doctoral thesis investigates the role of gender, language, grades, and learning design on student satisfaction survey data from the case of Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona. As a result, the thesis presents a comprehensive approach highlighting the need for institutional analytics to continuously consider potential biases and dependencies by supporting generative uncertainty to promote responsible institutional analytics and facilitate institutional improvement.
Date: July 18th, 2025 – 11.00 h
Room: 55.309 (Poblenou Campus – Tànger Building)
Evaluation board: Juan Manuel Dodero (U. Cádiz), Nati Cabrera (UOC), Patricia Santos (UPF)