Professional self-determination and academic performance of first-year business-school students

Context and relevance. Career proactivity and academic performance are becoming integrative indicators of a student’s success in the learning process, and it is important for universities to achieve alignment between these sometimes divergent vectors of interest. The specificity of business education lies in applicants' choice of a broad professional field, which enhances the role of career proactivity in shaping professional identity. Objective. To study the relationship between career adaptability and academic performance of first-year business school students, taking into account demographic and educational characteristics (gender, age, country of origin, form of study financing). Hypothesis. Career proactivity of first-year students is negatively associated with academic performance. Methods and materials. The study involved 186 undergraduate business school students. Career proactivity was assessed using a battery of validated questionnaires (Career Adaptability Scale (CAAS), Career Engagement (CE)), and academic performance was recorded based on the results of two exam sessions. Results. The results showed the independence of the two factors under study. Conclusions. Universities can support students in achieving alignment of these vectors of interest, even for the most vulnerable category — first‑year undergraduate students.

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