A Five-Year Quantitative Trend Analysis of Study Program Selection Interest in New Student Admissions – A Case Study of Politeknik Manufaktur Bandung

phrases study program branding, student interest, trend analysis, and vocational education

Authors

  • Yuliadi Erdani Politeknik Manufaktur Bandung, Department of Manufacturing Automation and Mechatronics Engineering, Cyber-Physical Systems Study Program, Bandung, West Java, Indonesia
  • Aris Budiyarto Politeknik Manufaktur Bandung, Department of Manufacturing Automation and Mechatronics Engineering, Cyber-Physical Systems Study Program, Bandung, West Java, Indonesia
  • Susetyo Bagas Bhaskoro Politeknik Manufaktur Bandung, Department of Manufacturing Automation and Mechatronics Engineering, Cyber-Physical Systems Study Program, Bandung, West Java, Indonesia
  • Yana Mulyana Politeknik Manufaktur Bandung, Department of Manufacturing Automation and Mechatronics Engineering, Cyber-Physical Systems Study Program, Bandung, West Java, Indonesia
  • Ihfan Aditya Ghafur Politeknik Manufaktur Bandung, Department of Manufacturing Automation and Mechatronics Engineering, Cyber-Physical Systems Study Program, Bandung, West Java, Indonesia
April 18, 2026
April 27, 2026

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This study analyzed the influence of study program name branding on trends in the number of applicants in the new student admission process at Politeknik Manufaktur Bandung. Using secondary data from 2021 to 2025, a simple time-series trend analysis was conducted by comparing groups of study programs that used traditional keywords (such as “Tooling”) with those that used modern keywords (such as “Automation” and “Mechatronics”). The results indicated a significant divergence in trends: study programs with traditional nuances showed a linear decline in interest (negative slope values), whereas programs with modern nomenclature demonstrated an increasing trend (positive slope values). Although differences in academic level (D3 vs. D4) also served as a secondary variable, the data suggested that prospective students’ perceptions of older technical terms such as “Tooling” were negatively correlated with their enrollment decisions. This study recommends the implementation of a rebranding strategy for study program names to better align with Industry 4.0 technological perceptions to enhance institutional attractiveness.