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What Are We Measuring When Evaluating Universities’ Efficiency?

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  • BERBEGAL MIRABENT, Jasmina
  • SOLÉ PARELLADA, Francesc

Abstract

Globalisation and the knowledge-based society have driven universities to an intense competition for the best professors, researchers and students. Yet, rankings and reports measuring how universities perform are available in abundance. Among these assessment tools it is worth highlighting those based on Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), which since the 1980s have risen considerably. However, there is a lack of consensus when selecting the indicators that best represent the inputs and outputs of such institutions. Aiming to clarify how these proxies are chosen, this paper does an exhaustive review of the indicators used in DEA empirical studies in the last decade, classifying them according to their nature and use.

Suggested Citation

  • BERBEGAL MIRABENT, Jasmina & SOLÉ PARELLADA, Francesc, 2012. "What Are We Measuring When Evaluating Universities’ Efficiency?," Regional and Sectoral Economic Studies, Euro-American Association of Economic Development, vol. 12(3).
    • Handle: RePEc:eaa:eerese:v:12:y2012:i:3_3
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    1. DE LA TORRE, Eva M. & PEREZ-ESPARRELLS, Carmen & CASANI, Fernando, 2018. "The Policy Approach For The Third Mission Of Universities: The Spanish Case (1983 – 2018)," Regional and Sectoral Economic Studies, Euro-American Association of Economic Development, vol. 18(1), pages 13-30.
    2. Joan Crespo & Jesús Peiró-Palomino & Emili Tortosa-Ausina, 2020. "Does university performance have an economic payoff for their home regions? Evidence for the Spanish provinces," Working Papers 2020/20, Economics Department, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón (Spain).
    3. Bornmann, Lutz & Gralka, Sabine & Anegón, Félix de Moya & Wohlrabe, Klaus, 2023. "Efficiency of universities and research-focused institutions worldwide: The introduction of a new input indicator reflecting institutional staff numbers," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 17(2).
    4. Dorys Y. Rodríguez-Castro & Juan Aparicio, 2021. "Introducing a functional framework for integrating the empirical evidence about higher education institutions’ functions and capabilities: A literature review," Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Innovation, Fundacja Upowszechniająca Wiedzę i Naukę "Cognitione", vol. 17(1), pages 231-267.
    5. Lutz Bornmann & Sabine Gralka & Félix de Moya Anegón & Klaus Wohlrabe, 2020. "Efficiency of Universities and Research-Focused Institutions Worldwide: An Empirical DEA Investigation Based on Institutional Publication Numbers and Estimated Academic Staff Numbers," CESifo Working Paper Series 8157, CESifo.
    6. Anatoliy G. Goncharuk, 2016. "Evaluating the Efficiency of Higher Education," Journal of Applied Management and Investments, Department of Business Administration and Corporate Security, International Humanitarian University, vol. 5(2), pages 82-91, May.
    7. Claudia URDARI & Teodora Viorica FARCAȘ & Adriana TIRON-TUDOR, 2015. "Measuring The Heis Contribution To Society," SEA - Practical Application of Science, Romanian Foundation for Business Intelligence, Editorial Department, issue 8, pages 241-247, June.
    8. Compagnucci, Lorenzo & Spigarelli, Francesca, 2020. "The Third Mission of the university: A systematic literature review on potentials and constraints," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    9. El Gibari, Samira & Gómez, Trinidad & Ruiz, Francisco, 2018. "Evaluating university performance using reference point based composite indicators," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 12(4), pages 1235-1250.
    10. Yolanda Fernández-Santos & Almudena Martínez-Campillo & José Miguel Fernández-Fernández, 2015. "Determinantes de la eficiencia en las universidades públicas españolas: un análisis DEA en dos etapas," Investigaciones de Economía de la Educación volume 10, in: Marta Rahona López & Jennifer Graves (ed.), Investigaciones de Economía de la Educación 10, edition 1, volume 10, chapter 25, pages 491-508, Asociación de Economía de la Educación.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Higher Education Institutions (HEI); efficiency; Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA); indicator; ranking;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C14 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Semiparametric and Nonparametric Methods: General
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education

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