Abstract:
The quality of maritime school graduates is a critical factor in ensuring industry readiness and
professional competence. Academic self-efficacy is emphasized as a moderator between the direct and
indirect impacts of individual, environmental, faculty, and institutional variables on graduate quality
in this study. Using PLS-SEM, this research evaluates the relationships among achievement
motivation, cognitive skills, family support, quality of learning facilities, teaching quality, lecturer’s
industry experience, industry-based curriculum policy, and academic evaluation systems in shaping
student outcomes. The findings reveal that achievement motivation, cognitive skills, and teaching
quality are the most significant predictors of academic self-efficacy and graduate quality, confirming
that intrinsic motivation, cognitive readiness, and effective instruction play a fundamental role in
preparing students for maritime careers. The results further indicate that academic self-efficacy is the
strongest predictor of graduate quality, reinforcing its role as a psychological bridge between academic
experiences and professional competence. The study finds that family support and learning facilities
contribute indirectly to graduate quality by enhancing self- efficacy, highlighting their role as enabling
rather than determining factors. Similarly, industry-based curriculum policies and lecturers’ industry
experience exhibit limited direct influence, suggesting that these elements must be effectively
integrated with interactive and applied learning strategies to maximize their impact on student
outcomes. The indirect effects analysis confirms that academic self-efficacy significantly mediates the
relationship between motivation, cognitive skills, teaching quality, and graduate quality, emphasizing
the need for institutions to prioritize strategies that foster confidence in students' abilities. These
findings provide several implications for educational institutions, policymakers, and faculty
development programs. First, curricular and instructional strategies should incorporate active learning
methodologies, mentorship programs, and structured feedback mechanisms to strengthen students’
confidence in their academic and professional competencies. Second, faculty training programs should
focus not only on industry expertise but also on pedagogical effectiveness, ensuring that instructors
can translate real-world knowledge into impactful teaching. Third, academic evaluation systems
should be designed as motivational tools, incorporating formative assessments that encourage selfdirected learning and resilience. Finally, to ensure that graduates have both technical competence and adaptable capacities, educational practices should be modified to close the gap between theoretical
learning and real industrial applications. This work has made important contributions; however it may
not be applicable to a broader population due to its cross-sectional methodology and narrow
geographic emphasis. To ensure the accuracy of these results, future studies should investigate
maritime education in a variety of contexts using longitudinal methodologies. Overall, this study
underscores the importance of integrating cognitive, instructional, and psychological dimensions into
maritime education, ensuring that graduates are not only knowledgeable but also confident, adaptable,
and industry ready.
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