Design, implementation and efficiency analysis of the special degree unit as an alternative for the graduated students’ degree: UPS case

Abstract

The little effectiveness of the degree systems in higher education is not an isolated problem in the long list of the university tasks, to be better understood, it has to be referenced to complementary processes, such as the access and the permanence into the system. To favor students get their degrees, in Ecuador, the Higher Education Committee, promoted in 2013 the implementation of Special Degree Units in each institution of higher education (IES). In this article, we share and demonstrate the experience of the Salesian Polytechnic University regarding the implementation of its Special Degree Unit (SDU). It has allowed young “university students with no degree” to get it as professionals. It is concluded that the 80% of the students who, according to the regulations, could be embraced into this Unit, got their degree, through a more effective instrument, which was the Degree Completion Exam.