AlmaLaurea Report 2023

Excellent results for the University of Insubria in the 25th AlmaLaurea Report 2023, the traditional June appointment analysing the performance of the 77 Italian universities belonging to the consortium chaired by Ivano Dionigi and directed by Marina Timoteo. The data were presented on 12 June 2023 during the conference “Territorial mobility of graduates: what sustainability?”, hosted by the University of Palermo, with the support and participation of the Ministry of University and Research.

As always, two dossiers were produced: one on the profile of graduates and one on their employment conditions one and five years after graduation, with data contributing both to an overall report on trends in the university sector and to institution-specific analyses. In total, around 281,000 graduates from 2022 were involved in order to provide a snapshot of their main characteristics, and 670,000 graduates were analysed to assess outcomes in the labour market. A total of 2,179 University of Insubria graduates were surveyed: 1,597 first-cycle graduates, 377 graduates from two-year master’s programmes and 205 from single-cycle degree programmes.

Once again, the Varese and Como-based university stands out, further improving its already excellent employment outcomes. One year after graduation, 86% of first-cycle graduates not enrolled in a second-cycle programme are in employment: a clear improvement on the 79.7% reported in 2022, with an increasingly significant gap compared with the national average of 75.4% and the Lombardy average of 81.4%, as well as an average monthly salary of €1,416, higher than the Italian average of €1,332.

The employment rate of master’s graduates also remains very high: one year after graduation it stands at 84.3%, well above the national average of 77.1%, with average earnings of €1,473; five years after graduation it reaches 92.3%.

The comment from the Rector of the University of Insubria, Angelo Tagliabue: “The University of Insubria places strong emphasis on student support as one of its key strengths. The AlmaLaurea data confirm that this is the right choice: our students graduate on time and are satisfied with an educational experience through which they have developed the right skills to enter the labour market. In particular, the growing proportion of students undertaking a period of study abroad (above the national average) highlights the University’s commitment to internationalisation, through the expansion of agreements with foreign universities and the support provided to our students along a pathway that will represent an excellent calling card for their future.”

Michela Prest, Delegate for Communication and Guidance, explains: “The AlmaLaurea report once again presents a very positive picture for Insubria graduates, both in terms of the duration of their studies and their entry into the labour market. As Delegate for guidance, I would like to highlight the proportion of graduates from technical institutes, which is higher than the national average, as an indication of the University’s ability to communicate to schools at all levels the importance of tertiary education, both for personal development and for improved career opportunities.”

But who are Insubria graduates, as captured in the dossier dedicated to the analysis of their profile?

A closer look at the data shows that 3.5% are of foreign citizenship, 6.5% come from outside the region, 57.5% hold a liceo (academic upper secondary) qualification, and 35.4% hold a technical diploma.

The average age at graduation is 24.8 years, 72.1% complete their studies within the prescribed time, and the average degree grade is 102.8 out of 110. 55.5% of graduates undertook internships recognised by their degree programme, 9.5% completed an Erasmus experience, and 69.8% carried out paid employment during their studies.

Finally, graduates’ opinions. 90.5% are satisfied with their relationship with the academic staff, 87.6% consider the workload appropriate for the duration of the programme, 84.6% (up from 81.2% last year) consider the teaching rooms to be adequate, and 92.2% rate the overall university experience positively.

The AlmaLaurea Report on the Profile of Graduates analysed the educational outcomes of over 281,000 graduates from 77 universities who completed their studies in 2022. Specifically, this includes 155,000 first-cycle (bachelor’s) graduates, 94,000 graduates from two-year master’s programmes, and 32,000 from single-cycle degree programmes. 
The AlmaLaurea Report on the Employment Conditions of Graduates analysed approximately 670,000 graduates from 78 universities, from first- and second-cycle degree programmes completed in 2021, 2019 and 2017, who were surveyed one, three and five years after graduation, respectively.

Graduates of the University of Insubria in 2022 involved in the 25th Report on the profile of graduates total 2,179. Of these, 1,597 are first-cycle (bachelor’s) graduates, 377 completed two-year master’s programmes, and 205 completed single-cycle degree programmes.

The overall proportion of graduates with foreign citizenship stands at 3.5%: 3.0% among first-cycle (bachelor’s) graduates and 6.1% among graduates from two-year master’s programmes. 
6.5% of graduates come from outside the region; specifically, 6.4% among first-cycle graduates and 7.2% among two-year master’s graduates. 
Upper secondary school qualifications from a liceo (classical, scientific, language, etc.) are held by 57.5% of graduates: 52.7% among first-cycle graduates and 61.5% among two-year master’s graduates. Technical diplomas are held by 35.4% of graduates: 40.1% at first-cycle level and 30.0% among two-year master’s graduates. The proportion of graduates holding a vocational diploma is marginal.

The average age at graduation is 24.8 years for graduates overall, specifically 24.1 years for first-cycle (bachelor’s) graduates and 26.8 years for graduates from two-year master’s programmes. This figure is influenced by delayed enrolment in higher education, as not all upper secondary school graduates enrol immediately after obtaining their qualification. 
72.1% of graduates complete their studies within the prescribed time: in particular, 70.1% among first-cycle graduates and 85.7% among graduates from two-year master’s programmes. 
The average degree grade is 102.8 out of 110: 100.8 for first-cycle graduates and 108.9 for graduates from two-year master’s programmes.

55.5% of graduates completed internships recognised by their degree programme: 55.9% among first-cycle (bachelor’s) graduates and 49.4% among graduates from two-year master’s programmes (the latter figure rises to 69.4% when also considering those who undertook an internship only during their first-cycle studies). 
A period of study abroad recognised by the degree programme (primarily through Erasmus) was undertaken by 9.5% of graduates: 7.8% among first-cycle graduates and 15.7% among two-year master’s graduates (the latter proportion increases to 20.8% when also including those who completed such experiences only during their first-cycle studies). 
69.8% of graduates carried out paid employment during their university studies: 71.9% among first-cycle graduates and 69.1% among two-year master’s graduates.

To analyse satisfaction with the university experience just completed, the opinions expressed by graduates as a whole on several aspects were taken into consideration. 
90.5% of graduates are satisfied with their relationship with the academic staff, and 87.6% consider the workload to be appropriate for the duration of the programme. With regard to the facilities provided by the University, 84.6% of graduates who made use of them consider the teaching rooms to be adequate. More generally, 92.2% of graduates state that they are 
satisfied with the overall university experience. 
And how many would enrol again at the University? 70.5% of graduates would choose the same degree programme and the same University again, while 5.4% would re-enrol at the same University but in a different programme.

The survey on employment conditions covered a total of 3,060 graduates of the University of Insubria. The data focus on the analysis of the outcomes of first- and second-cycle graduates who completed their studies in 2021 and were surveyed one year after graduation, as well as those of second-cycle graduates who completed their studies in 2017 and were surveyed five years after graduation.

The survey involved 1,563 first-cycle (bachelor’s) graduates from 2021 who were contacted one year after graduation (in 2022). 
After obtaining their degree, 49.3% of first-cycle graduates decide to continue their education by enrolling in a second-cycle degree programme (the proportion enrolling in another first-cycle programme is marginal). 
After one year, 48.5% are still enrolled at university. For a more detailed analysis, the employment outcomes presented below therefore focus on first-cycle graduates who, after completing their degree, chose not to continue with further university studies and instead entered the labour market directly. 
By isolating first-cycle graduates of the University of Insubria who, after graduation, never enrolled in another degree programme (49.7%), it is possible to analyse their employment outcomes one year after graduation. 

One year after graduation, the employment rate (with those considered employed including all individuals engaged in paid work or training) stands at 86.0%, while the unemployment rate (calculated on the labour force, i.e. those already in or seeking entry into the labour market) is 7.1%. 
Among those in employment, 19.2% continued the job they had started before graduation, while 23.1% changed job; 57.7% began working only after obtaining their degree. 35.5% of those in employment have a permanent employee contract, while 25.8% have a fixed-term employee contract. 12.0% are self-employed (as freelancers, own-account workers, entrepreneurs, etc.). Part-time work involves 17.5% of those in employment. Average net monthly earnings amount to €1,416. 

But how many are doing a job related to what they studied? The effectiveness of the degree was examined, combining the requirement of a degree for the job performed and the use, at work, of the skills acquired at university. 58.0% of those in employment consider their degree to be very effective or effective for the job they carry out. More specifically, 51.5% state that they make extensive use of the skills acquired at university in their work.

Second-cycle graduates from 2021 who were contacted one year after graduation number 536 (of whom 307 completed two-year master’s programmes and 229 single-cycle degree programmes), while those from 2017 contacted five years after graduation number 469 (of whom 180 completed two-year master’s programmes and 289 single-cycle degree programmes).

Among second-cycle graduates from 2021 surveyed one year after graduation, the employment rate (with those considered employed including individuals engaged in paid work or training) stands at 84.3% (84.6% among graduates from two-year master’s programmes and 83.9% among single-cycle graduates). 
The unemployment rate, calculated on the labour force, is 6.5% (8.6% among two-year master’s graduates and 3.7% among single-cycle graduates). 13.3% continued the job they had started before graduation, while 14.3% changed job; 72.3% began working only after obtaining their degree. Among graduates from two-year master’s programmes, the corresponding figures are 18.8%, 18.2% and 62.9%; among single-cycle graduates they are 6.2%, 9.2% and 84.6%, respectively. 
20.0% of those in employment have a permanent employee contract, while 14.7% have a fixed-term employee contract. 11.0% are self-employed (as freelancers, own-account workers, entrepreneurs, etc.). Among two-year master’s graduates, the corresponding figures are 31.2%, 21.2% and 3.5%; among single-cycle graduates they are 5.4%, 6.2% and 20.8%. 
Part-time work involves 9.3% of those in employment (3.5% among two-year master’s graduates and 16.9% among single-cycle graduates).

Average net monthly earnings amount to €1,473 (€1,415 for graduates from two-year master’s programmes and €1,549 for single-cycle graduates). 
77.3% of those in employment consider the degree obtained to be very effective or effective for the job they are doing (65.7% among two-year master’s graduates and 92.2% among single-cycle graduates); furthermore, 69.0% state that they make extensive use, in their work, of the skills acquired during their course of study (56.5% among two-year master’s graduates and 85.4% among single-cycle graduates).

The employment rate of second-cycle graduates from 2017, surveyed five years after graduation, stands at 92.3% (93.8% among graduates from two-year master’s programmes and 91.1% among single-cycle graduates). The unemployment rate is 3.1% (2.8% for two-year master’s graduates and 3.4% for single-cycle graduates). 
46.0% of those in employment hold a permanent contract, while 8.4% are employed on a fixed-term contract. 20.0% are self-employed. Among graduates from two-year master’s programmes, the corresponding figures are 67.9%, 13.2% and 8.5%; among single-cycle graduates they are 
29.9%, 4.9% and 28.5%, respectively. 
Part-time work involves 4.4% of those in employment (1.9% among two-year master’s graduates and 6.3% among single-cycle graduates). Average net monthly earnings amount to €1,914 (€1,871 for two-year master’s graduates and €1,945 for single-cycle graduates). 79.4% of those in employment consider the degree obtained to be very effective or effective for the work they do (68.6% among two-year master’s graduates and 87.4% among single-cycle graduates); 71.2% state that they make extensive use, in their work, of the skills acquired at university (59.4% among two-year master’s graduates and 79.9% among single-cycle graduates). 
But where do they go on to work? 63.2% of graduates are employed in the private sector, while 36.4% work in the public sector; 0.4% are employed in the non-profit sector. The services sector absorbs 88.0% of graduates, while industry accounts for 11.6% of those in employment; no graduates work in the agricultural sector.