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ANALYSIS OF THE FACTORS THAT
INFLUENCE THE NON-GRADUATION OF
TECNM GRADUATES - ITVH
ANÁLISIS DE LOS FACTORES QUE INCIDEN EN LA NO
TITULACIÓN DE LOS EGRESADOS DEL TECNM – ITVH
Araceli Lobato Romero
Technological Institute of Villahermosa, México
Jucelly Castro De la Cruz
Technological Institute of Villahermosa, México
David Antonio García Reyes
Technological Institute of Villahermosa, México
Hortensia Eliseo Dantes
Technological Institute of Villahermosa, México
José Luis Meneses Hernández
Technological Institute of Villahermosa, México
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.37811/cl_rcm.v9i4.19819
Analysis of the Factors that Influence the Non-Graduation of TecNM
Graduates - ITVH
Araceli Lobato Romero1
M23301195@villahermosa.tecnm.mx
https://orcid.org/0009-0004-2603-7239
Technological Institute of Villahermosa
México
Jucelly Castro De la Cruz
jucelly.cc@villahermosa.tecnm.mx
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3862-9555
Technological Institute of Villahermosa
México
David Antonio García Reyes
davidantonio.gr@villahermosa.tecnm.mx
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6083-079X
Technological Institute of Villahermosa
México
Hortensia Eliseo Dantes
hortencia.ed@villahermosa.tecnm.mx
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4006-4669
Technological Institute of Villahermosa
México
José Luis Meneses Hernández
jose.mh@villahermosa.tecnm.mx
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6097-4817
Technological Institute of Villahermosa
México
ABSTRACT
The graduation rate of a Higher Education Institution (HEI) in Mexico is used as an indicator of
the institution's capacity to grant degrees to its graduates. In the present research, the factors that
affect the non-graduation of graduates from the Tecnológico Nacional de México - Instituto
Tecnológico de Villahermosa (TecNM - ITVH) are analyzed. Personal, socioeconomic and
institutional elements are explored to determine which are those that may hinder the completion
of the graduation process. To this end, a survey was conducted among graduates who applied for
the degree process during the period between November 2024 and January 2025, with a
population of 87 surveys carried out. SPSS statistical software was used to proceed with the
analysis of the data collected. The results showed a tendency to apply for the degree process
within a short period of time after completing their studies, as well as a balance between graduates
who are working at the time of applying for the process and those who are not employed. In
addition to the above, the predominant factor affecting non-degree completion is the lack of time
available. It is recommended that new strategies be implemented to improve the dissemination of
the graduation process.
Keywords: degree, higher education, graduates
1
Main author
Correspondence: M23301195@villahermosa.tecnm.mx
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Análisis de los Factores que Inciden en la no Titulación de los
Egresados del TecNM – ITVH
RESUMEN
El índice de titulación de una Institución de Educación Superior (IES) en México se emplea como
un indicador de la capacidad de dicha institución para otorgar títulos a sus egresados. En la
presente investigación, se analizan los factores que afectan la no titulación de los egresados del
Tecnológico Nacional de México - Instituto Tecnológico de Villahermosa (TecNM – ITVH). Se
exploran elementos de índole personal, socioeconómica e institucional para determinar cuáles son
aquellos que pueden llegar a dificultar la finalización del proceso de titulación. Para tal fin, se
llevó a cabo una encuesta a los egresados que solicitaron tramite de titulación durante el período
comprendido entre noviembre de 2024 y enero de 2025, con una población de 87 encuestas
realizadas. Se utilizó el software estadístico SPSS para proceder con el análisis de los datos
recolectados. Los resultados mostraron una tendencia a solicitar el trámite de titulación en un
período corto tras la conclusión de los estudios, así como un equilibrio entre egresados que se
encuentran laborando al momento de solicitar dicho trámite y aquellos que no están empleados.
Aunado a lo anterior el factor predominante que incide en la no titulación es la falta de tiempo
disponible. Se recomienda la implementación de nuevas estrategias orientadas a mejorar la
difusión del proceso de titulación.
Palabras Clave: titulación, educación superior, egresados
Artículo recibido 16 julio 2025
Aceptado para publicación: 22 agosto 2025
pág. 11734
INTRODUCTION
For Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Mexico, one of the most significant indicators of
educational quality is the graduation rate (Limón & Hernández, 2012). According to research by
Vargas & Muñoz (2014), this indicator assesses the effectiveness of the educational institution by
measuring the number of graduates who successfully obtain their professional degree. It is
essential to clarify that a student officially completes their academic program upon obtaining the
professional degree, which serves as the official document validating their academic training
(Regulatory Law of Article 5 of the Constitution, Regarding the Practice of Professions in Mexico
City, 2018). After fulfilling the academic requirements of the degree program, graduates must
complete the corresponding administrative procedure with the institution in order to receive their
degree and professional license.
The lack of degree completion among undergraduate graduates at the Tecnológico Nacional de
México – Instituto Tecnológico de Villahermosa- TecNM – ITVH ( National Technological
Institute of Mexico – Technological Institute of Villahermosa ) represents a complex phenomenon
influenced by a variety of interrelated factors. This study aims to explore how personal,
socioeconomic, and institutional elements converge to hinder the completion of the degree
certification process.
At TecNM – ITVH, there is no established time limit for initiating this procedure, nor is it
mandatory, which often leads graduates to downplay its importance. As a result, a considerable
percentage of graduates do not pursue this process immediately after completing their academic
program. This research analyzes the factors contributing to the lack of degree completion among
ITVH graduates. By identifying the main elements that delay the initiation of this administrative
process, it will be possible to examine and identify areas of opportunity for implementing
improvements that help reduce the incidence of this issue and, consequently, increase the
graduation rate at the institution.
Background
In Mexico, educational institutions at all levels have undertaken efforts to improve the overall
quality of education through training programs, curriculum development, and investment in
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educational infrastructure (Reyes et al., 2025). National-level studies have documented the low
graduation rates and have identified several determining factors, such as lack of motivation,
difficulties in conducting research projects, and bureaucratic barriers. Similarly, Rodríguez
Betanzos (2015) points out that the lack of studies on the reasons why graduates do not obtain
their degrees contributes to the low graduation rates, as appropriate attention is not given to
tracking and monitoring these cases.
In the study by Olguín-Ramírez (2018), factors influencing the graduation rate are examined from
the students' perspective. Various variables are analyzed, including degree requirements, social
service, the comprehensive knowledge exam (EXCI), personal interest, the perceived value of
obtaining the degree, economic cost, and family pride. Surveys were conducted using a
quantitative approach to identify the most significant contributing factors. Additionally, the study
proposes strategies and recommendations aimed at increasing this indicator, with the goal of
facilitating student graduation and degree attainment.
Similarly, Toscano (2016) investigates graduation rates among university graduates, with the aim
of identifying the elements that influence the completion of the degree process and developing
strategies to improve this indicator. Data mining methods were employed to identify student
characteristics and determine the factors affecting degree completion. The findings reveal specific
patterns that m
Theoretical Framework
The Tecnológico Nacional de México-TecNM (National Technological Institute of Mexico ) is a
decentralized administrative body under the Secretariat of Public Education (SEP), possessing
technical, academic, and administrative autonomy. The Manual of Academic-Administrative
Guidelines of the Tecnológico Nacional de México (National Technological Institute of Mexico)
(2015) was issued to support the Institutes, Units, and Centers affiliated with TecNM in the
implementation and operation of academic plans and programs. These programs are designed to
foster the development of professional competencies and to ensure full compliance with
institutional goals and objectives. Within this context, Chapter 14 of the manual outlines the
necessary guidelines to ensure the successful completion of the final phase of students’ academic
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training within these Institutes, Units, and Centers. This chapter evaluates the students' ability to
integrate theoretical and practical knowledge required in professional practice, thereby qualifying
them to obtain the professional degree necessary to work in the goods and/or services sectors. The
Requirements for the Undergraduate Degree Process (2025) can also be consulted for further
information regarding the degree pathways and procedures.
Definition and Characterization
Comprehensive degree certification refers to the validation of competencies—defined as the
knowledge, skills, and attitudes acquired and developed by students throughout their academic
training.
Requirements
In order to obtain comprehensive degree certification, graduates must fulfill the following:
• Completion of 100% of the academic credits in their study plan;
• Certification of a foreign language program, by submitting an official certificate or proof
issued by:
a) a national or international institution or organization with official recognition, or
b) the Foreign Language Departments of the Technological Institutes officially registered with the
Academic, Research, and Innovation Secretariat of TecNM;
• Documentation proving there are no outstanding financial obligations or unreturned
materials or equipment from institutional offices, laboratories, or the information center;
• Formal submission of a request for comprehensive degree certification;
• Completion and submission of the required documentation to the School Services
Department.
The 2025 Annual Work Program of TecNM outlines three strategic pillars, one cross-cutting axis,
six objectives, twenty-seven lines of action, and a series of projects, actions, indicators, and key
performance goals. All of these are aimed at consolidating TecNM as the leading institution in
technological higher education in Latin America.
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Project No. 6 of the 2025 Annual Work Program specifically aims to increase the number of
undergraduate degree recipients. In this regard, the graduation rate for 2024 was 78.81%, with a
target of reaching 85.40% by 2025.
METHODOLOGY
This study is based on a quantitative research methodology. A survey consisting of 20 questions
was administered to a population of 87 students who initiated their degree certification process
between November 2024 and January 2025. The primary objective of this study is to identify the
underlying causes contributing to the graduation rate falling below the target set by the 2025
Annual Work Program of TecNM (2025). Accordingly, the central research question is: What are
the factors that influence the lack of degree completion among graduates of TecNM – ITVH?
For the analysis of the collected responses, the statistical software package SPSS was employed,
given its effectiveness, ease of use, and comprehensive features. As noted by Rivadeneira Pacheco
et al. (2020), SPSS is characterized by:
“its utility, ease of handling, and straightforward comprehension, offering a wide range of
statistical topics primarily geared toward the social sciences, and meeting all the statistical
calculation needs of researchers and professionals in the relevant field” (p. 1).
RESULTS
Data analysis reveals that 66.7% of the graduates who applied for the degree certification process
are male, while the remaining 33.3% are female.
pág. 11738
Figure 1. Gender Distribution by Degree Program
As shown in Figure 1, the degree programs in Industrial Engineering, Systems Engineering, Civil
Engineering, Petroleum Engineering, Business Management Engineering, and Computer
Engineering have a significantly higher percentage of male graduates. In contrast, the degree
programs in Environmental Engineering, Chemical Engineering, and the Bachelor's in Business
Administration are predominantly composed of female graduates. As Ortega Ortega et al. (2021)
note:
“It is a well-known fact that women’s participation in engineering programs has improved, but it
is also true that more can be done to encourage women to pursue engineering studies.”
The majority of applicants fall within the 23 to 27 age group, which suggests a tendency to obtain
the professional degree relatively soon after completing their academic program. Given their
young age, it is more common for these individuals to be single.
pág. 11739
Figure 2. Percentage of Degree Certifica
tion Requests by Program
The Industrial Engineering program received the highest number of degree certification requests.
This phenomenon is attributed to the fact that, during the data collection period, this program
produced the largest number of graduates, followed by Chemical Engineering and Civil
Engineering.
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Figure 3. Years Elapsed Between Graduation Date and Degree Certification Request
An analysis of the temporal distribution of the collected data reveals a pattern that closely
resembles the Pareto Principle (Gómez, 2007). Specifically, 78.8% of graduates submitted their
degree certification request within the first two years following graduation. In contrast, the
remaining 21.2% of requests were made from the third year onward. This distribution indicates
that a minority of the elapsed time (the first two years) accounted for the majority of the relevant
data for this study.
Given that ITVH is located in Villahermosa, the capital city of the state of Tabasco, the data
analysis shows that most applicants reside in this same city. It is therefore reasonable to infer that
graduates likely have family members in Villahermosa who can provide support and facilitate the
completion of the degree certification process.
Socio-familial and relational factors play a role in shaping how support is defined and provided
to sons and daughters during their educational journey. This support is not limited to parents;
other family members—though not always visible to the educational institution—are often
involved and interact with the university context (Sánchez Arias & Callejas Callejas, 2020, p. 1).
pág. 11741
Figure 4. Percentage of Graduates Who Are Employed vs. Unemployed
Figure 4 shows that 56.3% of respondents were employed at the time they submitted their degree
certification request, while the remaining 41.4% were not employed. Among those who reported
being employed, 44% start their workday at 8:00 a.m., followed by 27.7% who begin at 7:00 a.m.
Regarding end-of-day schedules, 44% finish work at 5:00 p.m., while 10.3% reported a tie in their
workday ending at either 4:00 p.m. or 6:00 p.m. Additionally, 77% of respondents indicated that
they use public transportation.
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Figure 5. How Graduates Learned About the Degree Certification Process
According to the data presented in Figure 5, 54% of respondents learned about the degree
certification process through in-person inquiries at the offices of the Instituto Tecnológico de
Villahermosa (Technological Institute of Villahermosa). An additional 26.4% received the
information during the graduation meeting, 14.9% were informed by a friend, and the remaining
2.3% through social media platforms.
Furthermore, 65.5% of participants expressed full satisfaction with the clarity of the information
provided. In addition, 73.6% reported being completely satisfied with the courtesy of the service
received. Lastly, 77% indicated full agreement that they were attended to at the previously
scheduled time.
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Figure 6. Reasons that made it difficult to apply for a title application
According to Figure 6, 64.4% of respondents reported having encountered difficulties in
completing their degree certification process, primarily due to a lack of available time.
Additionally, 18.4% indicated that insufficient dissemination of information was an obstacle,
while 8% stated that relocating to another city negatively affected their ability to complete the
process.
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Figure 7. Documents That Were Difficult to Obtain
According to the data presented in Figure 7, 23% of respondents reported difficulties in obtaining
the English language clearance. Additionally, 9.2% experienced challenges in acquiring the
formal ceremony request form and the clearance of financial obligations. Furthermore, 6.9% faced
obstacles in obtaining their electronic signature, while 5.7% were unable to complete the required
payment.
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Figure 8. Reasons for Difficulty in Obtaining Required Documents
Among the 48.3% of cases in which respondents experienced difficulty obtaining required
documents, 28.6% were attributed to a lack of available time. Additionally, 16.7% cited prolonged
waiting periods for obtaining necessary signatures, while 11.9% reported delays due to the
untimely completion of English language modules and requests for document replacement. The
remaining percentage was distributed among eight other causes.
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Figure 9. Relationship Between Documents and Reasons for Not Obtaining Them
It was found that the main reasons hindering the acquisition of the English language clearance
certificate were a lack of available time and the failure to complete the required language modules
within the designated period.
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Figure 10. Relationship between the reason that made the procedure difficult and whether the
person is working.
It was found that for 70.9% of respondents, the primary difficulty in completing the certification
process was a lack of time. Of this group, 66% were currently employed, while the remaining
34% were not engaged in any employment at the time. This finding aligns with the study by Solís
Carcaño et al. (2006), which states:
“The ease with which graduates enter the workforce can, for some, become a disadvantage, as
they prioritize earning income over dedicating time and effort to obtaining their professional
degree.”
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Figure 11. Relationship Between Degree Program and Employment Status
This figure displays the percentage of graduates, by degree program, who are currently employed
compared to those who are not currently working.
CONCLUSION
Following a thorough analysis of the survey results from graduates who applied for degree
certification between November 2024 and January 2025, it can be concluded that there is a notable
tendency among graduates to initiate the certification process as soon as possible—either
immediately after completing their academic programs or after participating in the graduation
ceremony. Additionally, the majority of respondents reside in the city of Villahermosa, which
facilitates their travel to ITVH to complete the process. This proximity also increases the
likelihood of receiving assistance from family members living in the same city, thereby enhancing
their ability to manage the administrative procedures involved.
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Despite the fact that we are in the year 2025, and considering the significant social and cultural
changes that have taken place, a male predominance in engineering programs remains evident.
The difference in employment status among those who submitted their certification requests—
whether employed or unemployed—is minimal. However, it is notable that those who are
employed tend to work between 8 and 10 hours per day, primarily during morning shifts.
Interestingly, some unemployed applicants also report delays in completing the certification
process, raising questions about the factors that prevent them from dedicating time to these
procedures. This suggests the need for further research to explore the causes of such delays.
Most applicants became aware of the degree certification process through interpersonal, primarily
verbal, communication, while digital channels (such as social media) were used to a much lesser
extent. This reflects a weakness in the dissemination strategy. It is therefore recommended to
enhance and maintain consistent outreach efforts through digital communication channels in order
to improve visibility and accessibility.
The document that presented the greatest difficulty in obtaining was the English language
clearance certificate. The main barriers identified were lack of time and failure to complete the
required modules within the designated period. It is recommended to increase the number and
variety of available class groups and schedules to encourage greater enrollment in the required
English modules. Additionally, it is advisable to improve the dissemination of information
regarding the importance of fulfilling the English language clearance requirement, as it is essential
for obtaining the professional degree.
Overall, the most commonly cited reason for difficulties in completing the degree certification
process was lack of available time, followed by delays in obtaining required signatures.
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