ABSTRACTThe characterization of students in distance technological programs is an essential tool for understanding educational dynamics and designing strategies aimed at promoting retention and academic success. However, research on the specific traits of these students is limited in this modality, so it is necessary to collect empirical information to guide institutional policies and propose effective retention strategies for a population historically excluded from the higher education system. Objective: To characterize, in a descriptive and multitemporal way, the sociodemographic, academic and psychosocial conditions of UPTC-FESAD students, to identify trends, patterns of change and possible risk factors that affect their permanence and academic success. This study was conducted at the Faculty of Distance Studies (FESAD) of the Pedagogical and Technological University of Colombia (UPTC), using a descriptive design with a quantitative approach. Structured surveys were administered during the 2022-I, 2023-I, 2023-II, and 2024-I academic periods to collect sociodemographic, academic, and psychosocial information from the student population. The findings reveal a predominantly female profile (79.1%), along with a progressive increase in students over 30 years of age and a decline in younger cohorts. Likewise, the majority of students come from public educational institutions (82.9%), and two-thirds are entering higher education for the first time. Additionally, 58% combine study with employment, while 66.1% report earning below the legal minimum wage, highlighting significant vulnerability conditions. This profile presents critical challenges related to balancing academic, work, and family roles, addressing the feminization of enrollment, implementing academic leveling programs, and strengthening university welfare services as a strategy to prevent dropout. The program is positioned as a space for inclusion and educational democratization, but it requires real and viable institutional adjustments that ensure equity, flexibility, and comprehensive support in order to effectively address the needs of a diverse, complex student population with multiple responsibilities.
Rueda et al. (2026) studied this question.