Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the business management engineering program at ITSP: a case study

Abstract

This study assessed the impact of COVID-19 on the professional training of eighth-semester students enrolled in the Business Management Engineering program at the Instituto Tecnológico Superior de (ITSP). A quantitative, cross-sectional design was employed, using an online questionnaire comprising 21 Likert-scale items, which demonstrated high reliability (Cronbach’s α = 0.916). The findings revealed mean scores of 3.59 for technological adaptation and digital competencies, 3.58 for satisfaction with academic training, 3.54 for experiences with online learning modalities, and 3.38 for perceived impact on professional development. Key strengths identified included faculty proficiency in virtual platforms, the quality of feedback provided, enhancement of digital skills, and the development of student resilience. Conversely, several areas for improvement were observed, including a decline in academic performance, limited effectiveness of collaborative work, insufficient institutional technological support, and reduced opportunities for professional internships. Overall, distance education mitigated academic disruption and contributed to the strengthening of digital and self-regulation competencies; however, it did not fully replace the practical training required for professional practice.