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Abstract

Graduate-tracking systems are increasingly viewed as a pillar of quality assurance across Central Eurasia, yet little empirical research has examined how individual universities operationalise these systems or translate graduate outcome data into institutional change. This paper offers the first in-depth analysis of employment-monitoring practices at Ala-Too International University (AIU) in Bishkek and situates them within the wider post-Soviet policy landscape.

Using a convergent mixed-methods design, integrated(1) quantitative employment indicators extracted from AIU’s Personal Management System (PMS) and alumni survey data collected from 2020–2021 onward, covering four graduating cohorts (2021–2024; N = 2,487), with (2) 22 semi-structured interviews conducted with faculty, alumni-office staff, and senior administrators. Triangulating these datasets reveals both the technical capabilities of AIU’s digital infrastructure and the organisational logics that shape data collection, validation, and use.

Findings show that AIU has achieved a relatively high response rate (≈ 68%) through mandatory exit surveys and alumni-network incentives, but still struggles with long-term follow-up and cross-faculty data standardisation. Regression analysis indicates that programme-level curriculum reviews triggered by PMS evidence are associated with a 7-point increase in graduate full-employment within one year. Nonetheless, interviewees emphasise that siloed data ownership and limited analytical capacity constrain broader strategic planning.

By comparing AIU’s evolving model with Uzbekistan’s national HEMIS platform and nascent initiatives in Kazakhstan, the paper demonstrates how scalable, centralised frameworks can mitigate fragmentation while respecting institutional autonomy. The study proposes viewing graduate-tracking not as bureaucratic compliance but as a feedback mechanism linking labour-market intelligence, curricular design, and accreditation.