In today’s competitive world, higher education institutions work hard to improve the quality of instruction, physical-social facilities, and interaction among faculty, students and staff. Universities and colleges commonly use student and alumni surveys to investigate areas of improvement in both graduate and undergraduate education (Pike, 1993; Guevara & Steward, 2011). These surveys generally examine the impact of college experiences on acquisition of necessary knowledge and skills in career, personal and professional development (Volkwein, 2010). For example, in a study conducted by Vermeulen and Schmidt (2008), graduates were asked their opinions regarding the quality of education and competences gained through university education. Results indicated that the prominent competences of graduates included the ability to work independently, problem solving skills, productivity, reflective thinking and the ability to work under pressure. Furthermore, knowledge and competences students gained in the university were found to be strongly related with future career success. Especially, the academic learning environment (curriculum, faculty-student interaction, peer interaction) and engaging in extracurricular activities were found to contribute to students’ academic outcomes and future career. In another study conducted by Crebert, Bates, Bell, Patrick, and Cragnolini (2004), collaborative work, taking responsibility, learning in actual work environment were reported among the areas in which competences  were gained in undergraduate education. In addition, Evers, Rush and Berdrow (1998) discovered that every college student should has four broad competences as managing self, communicating, managing people and tasks, and managing innovation and change within their large number of sample. 

Under the light of current literature that underline the quality of undergraduate education on student competency gains; the importance of alumni and student surveys in investigating the areas of improvement in undergraduate education, this study aimed to examine the alumni and student opinions regarding areas of improvement in undergraduate education and competences gained through undergraduate study in a large state university in Turkey. 

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