Análise de dados dos egressos da UFRN no período de 2014 a 2023

Abstract

This study analyzed data from students of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) who graduated between 2014 and 2023. A motivation for this research was to observe which variables might influence the time to complete the course. The initial proposal intended to compare various attributes, such as sex (gender), age, and field of knowledge. However, some of these data were not made available in UFRN’s Open Data portal. It is presumed that certain information might conflict with the General Data Protection Law (LGPD), which is why it was suppressed. Other available data, such as student names, were hidden from the analysis. The research question arose due to external events that could harm student performance, such as the Coronavirus pandemic, which interrupted the academic journey due to compulsory isolation and other setbacks that compromised performance. Several useful data analysis tools were employed, including Google Colab notebooks and the Streamlit Dashboard to manipulate data, create, and analyze graphs, which contributed to the interpretation of statistical patterns among academics. The analysis results of this research indicated that the 2020 pandemic influenced an increase in the number of semesters required for students to graduate in 2021 and 2022. Another consequence was a reduction in the number of graduates in 2020. In the following years, there was a recovery in performance, resembling pre-pandemic levels. Another finding was an increase in the number of graduates between 2015 and 2017, followed by a decrease from 2018 onwards, returning to levels recorded in 2014. It was concluded that events like the 2020 pandemic affected both the time to complete courses and the number of graduates. Therefore, data analysis is important for planning policies during crisis periods to mitigate damages.