The Evolution of the Number of Students Versus the Evolution of the Number of Teaching Stuff

This study investigates the determinants of the number of graduating students in Romanian higher education using multiple linear regression on annual data from 2014 to 2022.The model demonstrates a high predictive capacity, identifying the previous year's number of graduates and the student graduation rate as significant predictors.A positive correlation exists between the previous and current number of graduates, suggesting temporal inertia.Conversely, the previous year's graduation rate shows a significant negative relationship with the current number of graduates, warranting further investigation into underlying mechanisms.Notably, the number of teaching staff was not a significant predictor in this model.The findings underscore the importance of prior graduation trends and graduation rates in forecasting graduate numbers, while the unexpected negative effect of the graduation rate and the non-significance of teaching staff highlight the complexity of factors influencing graduation outcomes and suggest avenues for future research, particularly concerning the role of human resources and the need for nuanced policy interventions in higher education.