Graduate tracking record

The application forms in ERS program has passed several phases to reach its final shape. Finally, PHE/EG management team developed the current application forms to know a complete picture of the applicants. It further encouraged them to have their own academic and work plans as he/she has to describe in brief his plans for the future. The applicant should also illustrate in short the challenging situations that met in his/her life. One of the objectives of the current application forms is to familiarize Pathways graduates with Ford Foundation International Fellowship Program (IFP). The other objective of this form is to facilitate the graduate tracking and to measure his/her development after the ERS program.

PHE/EG track their graduate through personal contact and phone calls. Moreover, Pathways announce the graduate for the scholarships available and the job opportunity, if possible. The graduate fill pre-designed questionnaires in regular basis, as following:

A. Follow-up Questionnaire #1

After the end of Batch 4, a questionnaire was designed targeting the graduates of ERS four Batches. It investigated whether they were enrolled in postgraduate studies or and if they received any grants or scholarships or not and the change occurred to their employment status after their graduation. From the 168 graduate, the questionnaire was filled by 101 ERS graduate either through calling them or when they came to Pathways office.

 

After analyzing the information gathered it was found that:

a. 47% was enrolled in post graduate studies, of which 10% were enrolled after their graduation in ERS.

b. 15% applied to scholarships after their graduation in ERS

c. 47% were working, of which 22% found job opportunities after their gradation and PHE/EG presented job opportunities of 5% of their graduates.

d. 10 of the graduates have been submitted for IFP-FF, December 2003, but non get the fellowship, in this date the PHE/EG graduate was 41 only.

 

B. Follow-up Questionnaire #2

After the end of Batch 7, a second questionnaire was designed targeting the graduates of ERS. This second form of the questionnaire represented a more developed and enhanced one. The questionnaire is being filled by graduates of the seven Batches either through phone calls or by face-to-face interviews especially with Batch 7 graduates.

 

Similar to the first questionnaire, it tacked issues like scholarships, postgraduate studies and employment status. On the other hand, it presented new issues like the role of ERS graduates in social and voluntary work, as well as the barriers and needed help to access the field of postgraduate studies and scholarships. Furthermore, it gave the opportunity for the graduates to write their own comments and hopes for PHE/EG. The results of this questionnaire showed that:

a. About 60 of the current graduate intent to submit in the coming IFP-FF, Jan. 2005. PHE/EG hope the success to them.

b. 18 of the PHE/EG graduates have been win other national or international scholarships; four of them are international scholarships.

c. Almost all graduates are welling to continue their postgraduate studies.