KRI Graduate Career Tracking Survey (GCTS)

Metadata

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Data Usage Guidelines

Before downloading and utilising the GCTS data, user is advised to read and adhere to the following guidelines:

1. Data Citation

When using the GCTS data for research, reports, or any other purposes, please ensure proper attribution. Cite the data as follows:
“Khazanah Research Institute. 2024. Graduate Career Tracking Survey dataset. Kuala Lumpur: Khazanah Research Institute. License: Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 3.0.”

2. Free Download and Liability

The GCTS data is available for free download from KRI website. However, KRI shall not be held liable for any interpretation or use of the data beyond the study's objectives.

3. Caution and Reference to Technical Notes

Exercise caution when using the data. Before drawing conclusions from your analysis, it is essential to refer to our technical notes within Appendix 1. These notes provide important information into the methodology of data collection and sampling selection.

4. Data Files

The GCTS dataset is provided in STATA files, consisting of 8,026 samples of graduates in two different cohorts. Data is collected in May to July 2023. Please see Appendix 1 for further explanation about data collection and sampling methodology of GCTS.

5. User Responsibility

Users are responsible to ensure their utilisation of the GCTS data complies with ethical and legal standards. KRI shall not be held responsible for any consequences resulting from data misinterpretation or misuse.

By downloading and using the GCTS data, users acknowledge that they have read and understood these guidelines. Please contact us at enquiries@KRInstitute.org for any questions or should you require further information regarding the dataset.

Appendix 1: Graduate Career Tracking Survey (GCTS) – Sampling Methodology and Research Design

The Graduate Career Tracking Survey (GCTS) expands on the MOHE's Graduate Tracer Study (GTS) by delving further into various graduate employment outcomes across cohorts. This box article serves as a technical note on the research design that covers the components of its methodological, include sampling design, data collection and development of survey instruments.

Methodology and Questionnaire Development

1. The GCTS employs an online data collection method between May-July 2023. An email invite was sent to selected graduates by drawing samples from MOHE’s GTSS database.
2. A two-staged stratified sampling design is adopted for GCTS to ensure a representative and diverse sample of graduates. The graduate population is divided into distinct strata based on three main criteria namely cohort years, qualification levels (diploma and degree), and gender. This stratification allows the study to create meaningful and homogeneous groups within the larger population, ensuring that graduates with different qualifications from both genders are appropriately represented. Graduates from each stratum are then randomly selected, with assistance from the MOHE to maintain confidentiality of respondents' background information.
3. The GCTS sample collected were adjusted through a combined ratio estimation method – (i) adjusted weight and (ii) population factor. The adjusted weight is used to take into account the non-response cases, while population factor is used to minimise sampling error and bias through a graduate population from the MOHE’s GTSS database for each corresponding cohort years.
4. The GCTS instrument—a questionnaire—is designed to collect relevant information aligning with its objectives, beyond the GTS survey. To ensure the validity of the developed questionnaire, the research team sought an expert validity assessment from Professor Dr. Norzaidi Mohd Daud from Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM).
5. Two pilot tests were conducted before the actual survey to ensure the reliability of the questionnaire developed. The first pilot test involved the internal research team at KRI, to collect feedback on the questionnaire's content and structure. The second pilot test involved approximately 100 public respondents who met the GCTS criteria, i.e., graduates from the ~2010 and ~2018 cohorts from local universities, both IPTA and IPTS.
6. The research team also sought the survey ethics approval from the Research Ethics Committee of the National University of Malaysia (UKM) to ensure the study aligns with the ethical guidelines, safeguarding the rights and well-being of participants. The Ethics Committee Approval reference number: JEP-2023-450.
7. This signifies our commitment to conduct the research responsibly and ethically, promoting trust and credibility in the outcomes of the survey. Furthermore, field checks are carried out to identify any data errors or inconsistencies.

Scope and Limitation

1. The respondents for GCTS are drawn from the MOHE’s GTSS respondent database. The first cohort consists of graduates from academic years 2010–2012 (referred as ~2010 cohort), while the second cohort consists of graduates from academic years 2017–2019 (referred as ~2018 cohort). Since the survey population is defined to cover graduates from these two cohorts, graduates from other years are excluded.
2. The sample selection process encompasses graduates who possess a minimum qualification of either diploma or degree. This standardised approach ensures a consistent and comparable baseline within each cohort, allowing for meaningful analysis and accurate comparisons across the study groups.
3. The GCTS only covers graduates from local IPTA (including public TVET institutions) and IPTS (including foreign universities with branches in Malaysia). Graduates who studied overseas are excluded, thus limiting further analysis and comparison of employment outcomes between local and overseas graduates.