Data-Driven University Management and Access Inequalities: An Analysis for Institutional Decision-Making
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Data-driven university management supports decision-making related to planning, resource allocation, and equity; however, aggregated enrolment analyses may conceal access inequalities across academic fields and degree programmes. The objective was to analyse inequalities in enrolment access at an Ecuadorian public university from a data-driven management perspective, using disaggregated indicators and complementary evidence on equity and university accessibility. A quantitative, descriptive, non-experimental, cross-sectional study was conducted using a primary database of 9,109 students and a complementary 2024 database comprising 13,963 students. Frequencies, percentages, percentage-point disparities, and a priority traffic-light system were calculated. The results revealed marked concentrations by sex: Nursing recorded 82.9% female enrolment, whereas Mechanical Engineering (redesigned programme) recorded 8.5%; relevant differences were also observed across faculties. These findings are consistent with the literature on equitable access, showing that institutional averages may obscure segmentation patterns and that disaggregated indicators facilitate the prioritisation of actions. It is concluded that equity should be managed as an integrated cycle of reliable data, interpretable indicators, prioritisation, intervention, and evaluation, linking access, student retention, and university accessibility.
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