1. Introduction
The University of the Bahamas Graduate Report provides a critical breakdown of the institution’s academic output and strategic direction. By analyzing the 634 graduates from the 2021-2022 dataset, this report outlines the distribution of degrees across various divisions and meta-fields. This analysis serves to illuminate the university’s academic priorities, its alignment with labour market demands, and the profile of the skilled workforce it contributes to the national and regional economy.
2. Key Findings
2.1 Overview. The analysis of the University of the Bahamas Graduate Report dataset reveals distinct patterns amongst graduates. Organizing the results by division and division field, provides a clearer understanding of where the education system is performing effectively and where targeted interventions are most urgently required.
2.1 | Table 1: Graduate Degree Percentage Breakdown by Division
Division | Percentage |
Business & Hospitality Management | 25.08% |
Chemistry, Environment & Life Sciences | 10.88% |
Communications & Creative Arts | 2.68% |
Culinary Arts & Tourism Studies | 5.05% |
Education | 19.24% |
Math, Physics & Technology | 4.42% |
Nursing & Allied Health Professions | 17.82% |
Social Sciences | 14.83% |
2.1 | Table 2: Graduate Degree Percentage Breakdown by Division Field
Division Field | Percentage |
S.T.E.M | 43.53% |
Humanities/Arts | 31.39% |
Vocational/Professional | 25.08% |
Note: The Division Fields are the following: S.T.E.M.: Chemistry, Environment & Life Sciences, Math, Physics & Technology, and Nursing & Allied Health Professions. Humanities/Arts: Social Sciences, English Studies, Education, Communications & Creative Arts, and Culinary Arts & Tourism Studies. Vocational/Professional: Business & Hospitality Management.
3. Analysis
The data reveals a graduate output profile that reinforces the institution’s established commitment to national development, characterized by a stable and balanced concentration in its core professional and public-service divisions.
- (1) The distribution continues to be led by three key areas that collectively represent nearly 62% of all graduates. Business & Hospitality Management (25.08%) maintains its position as the largest division, underscoring its foundational role in supporting the national economy. Education (19.24%) remains a critical pillar, highlighting the university’s sustained responsibility for supplying the education sector. Nursing & Allied Health Professions (17.82%) continues as a major component, reflecting ongoing national priorities in healthcare.
- (2) Social Sciences (14.83%) and Chemistry, Environment & Life Sciences (10.88%) form substantial secondary tiers, providing graduates for governance, community services, and scientific fields. In contrast, divisions such as Communications & Creative Arts (2.68%) and Math, Physics & Technology (4.42%) represent smaller, more specialized shares of the graduate cohort.
- (3) The strength of the S.T.E.M. field (43.53%) is clearly driven by the combined output of Nursing & Allied Health Professions and Chemistry, Environment & Life Sciences. The Humanities/Arts field (31.39%) is significantly supported by the large Education and Social Sciences divisions, while the Vocational/Professional field (25.08%) is defined exclusively by Business & Hospitality Management, as per the provided taxonomy.
The institution demonstrates a steady, mission-aligned academic model. The graduate output is predictably and heavily oriented toward the professions most vital to national infrastructure and economic stability—business, education, healthcare, and public service—indicating a consistent strategic alignment with long-standing national needs.
4. Conclusion
The 2021–2022 graduate profile confirms the University of The Bahamas’s consistent role as a primary engine for developing professional talent in sectors central to the country’s socio-economic framework. The sustained high output in Business, Education, and Nursing reflects a deep-seated and reliable alignment with the nation’s most critical workforce demands.
This stability suggests effective fulfillment of the university’s core mandate. For ongoing strategic development, the institution may wish to examine the enrollment trends and labour market alignment of its smaller divisions—such as Communications & Creative Arts and Math, Physics & Technology—to ensure it is also cultivating the niche skills necessary for a diversified and modern economy. Maintaining this balance between nurturing established flagship programs and exploring growth in emerging areas will be key to the university’s continued relevance and impact.
5. Citation
- Department of Statistics. Labour Market Information Newsletter, Volume 35, No. 46. Ministry of Finance, The Bahamas, December 2022.