Current research on the career satisfaction of graduates limits educational institutions in devising methods to attain high career satisfaction. Thus, this study aims to use data science models to understand and predict career satisfaction based on information collected from surveys of university alumni. Five machine learning (ML) algorithms were used for data analysis, including the decision tree, random forest, gradient boosting, support vector machine, and neural network models. To achieve optimal prediction performance, we utilized the Bayesian optimization method to fine-tune the parameters of the five ML algorithms. The five ML models were compared with logistic and ordinal regression. Then, to extract the most important features of the best predictive model, we employed the SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP), a novel methodology for extracting the significant features in ML. The results indicated that gradient boosting is a marginally superior predictive model, with 2–3% higher accuracy and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) compared to logistic and ordinal regression. Interestingly, concerning low career satisfaction, those with the worst scores for the phrase “how frequently applied knowledge, skills, or technological tools from the academic training” were less satisfied with their careers. To summarize, career satisfaction is related to academic training, alumni satisfaction, employment status, published articles or books, and other factors.

This study shows the significant features predicting graduates’ job levels, particularly high-level positions. Moreover, it shows that data science methodologies can accurately predict graduate outcomes. The dataset used to analyze graduate outcomes was derived from a private educational institution survey. The original dataset contains information on 17,898 graduates and approximately 148 features. Three machine learning algorithms, namely, decision trees, random forest, and gradient boosting, were used for data analysis. These three machine learning models were compared with ordinal regression. The results indicate that gradient boosting is the best predictive model, which is 6% higher than the ordinal regression accuracy. The SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP), a novel methodology to extract the significant features of different machine learning algorithms, was then used to extract the most important features of the gradient boosting model. Current salary is the most important feature in predicting job levels. Interestingly, graduates who realized the importance of communication skills and teamwork to be good leaders also had higher job positions. Finally, general relevant features to predict job levels include the number of people directly in charge, company size, seniority, and satisfaction with income.

Research professors develop scientific products that impact and benefit society, but their competencies in doing so are rarely evaluated. Therefore, by employing a mixed two-stage sequential design, this study developed a self-assessment model of research professors’ competencies with four domains, seven competencies, and 30 competency elements. Next, we conducted descriptive statistical analysis of those elements. In the first year, 320 respondents rated themselves on four levels: initial, basic, autonomous, and consolidated. In the assessment model’s second year, we compared 30 respondents’ results with those of their initial self-assessment. The main developmental challenge was Originality and Innovation, which remained at the initial level. Both Training of Researchers and Transformation of Society were at the basic level, and Digital Competency was at the autonomous level. Both Teaching Competence and Ethics and Citizenship attained the consolidated level. This information helps establish priorities for accelerating researchers’ training and the quality of their research.

Education is one of the areas in which the trend toward using digital tools in educational processes and methodologies is increasingly unavoidable. In Mexico, the first internet connection occurred just over three decades ago. Since then, internet access has enabled the gradual advancement of education into the digital age. The Covid-19 pandemic has forcibly and massively challenged us to digitalize educational work. The present research is an experimental study of self-regulated learning in a higher-education digital environment with a group of first-year university students attending a private institution in northern Mexico. A study recommendation is that before implementing any strategy to develop self-regulated learning using digital tools and virtual environments, all significant contextual aspects that could affect the effectiveness of the intervention strategy must be considered