Behind the Scenes of Higher Education: University Administrative Performance and Graduate Employability

Graduate employability is increasingly relevant in Higher Education, yet its relationship with university administrative and support service quality remains underexplored. This study investigates whether broader configurations of administrative performance, jointly considering service effectiveness perceived and cost efficiency, are associated with differences in graduate employability. Using longitudinal data from the Italian Good Practice project (2014–2023), we analyze 45 universities across five support service areas (General Administration, Teaching and Learning Support, Campus Facilities, Research Support, and Library Services) through Latent Profile Analysis to identify distinct performance profiles and their evolution over time. Multinomial regressions assess institutional and contextual characteristics linked to profile membership, while analysis of variance examines differences in graduate employment outcomes, expressed one and three years post-graduation, across profiles. The analysis discloses three profiles of performance, with perceived service effectiveness showing a significant correlation with graduate employability. Findings highlight the role of the quality of the university environment experienced by students as associated with graduate outcomes, thereby extending employability research beyond individual skills or career services.