This paper provides an extensive overview of the literature on efficiency in education. It summarizes the earlier applied inputs, outputs and contextual variables, as well as the used data sources of papers in the field of efficiency in education. Moreover, it reviews the papers on education that applied methodologies as data envelopment analysis, Malmquist index, Bootstrapping, robust frontiers, metafrontier or stochastic frontier analysis. Based on the insights of the literature review, a second part of the paper provides some ways forward. It attempts to establish a link between the parametric ‘economics of education’ literature and the (semi-parametric) ‘efficiency in education literature’. We point to the similarities between matching and conditional efficiency; difference-in-differences and metafrontiers; and quantile regressions and partial frontiers. The paper concludes with some practical directions for prospective researchers in the field.

/pdf/efficiency-in-education-a-review-of-literature-and-a-way-jq65h8tz6o.pdf

Efficiency in education: a review of literature and a way forward

The purpose of this study is to examine efficiency and its determinants in a set of higher education institutions (HEIs) from several European countries by means of non-parametric frontier techniques Our analysis is based on a sample of 259 public HEIs from 7 European countries across the time period of 2001---2005 We conduct a two-stage DEA analysis (Simar and Wilson in J Economet 136:31---64, 2007), first evaluating DEA scores and then regressing them on potential covariates with the use of a bootstrapped truncated regression Results indicate a considerable variability of efficiency scores within and between countries Unit size (economies of scale), number and composition of faculties, sources of funding and gender staff composition are found to be among the crucial determinants of these units' performance Specifically, we found evidence that a higher share of funds from external sources and a higher number of women among academic staff improve the efficiency of the institution

/pdf/efficiency-of-european-public-higher-education-institutions-5bgz0clwvo.pdf

Efficiency of European public higher education institutions: a two-stage multicountry approach

We employ Data Envelopment Analysis to compute the technical efficiency of Italian and English higher education institutions. Our results show that, in relation to the country‐specific frontier, institutions in both countries are typically very efficient. However, institutions in England are more efficient than those in Italy when we compare jointly their performances. We also look at the evolution of technical efficiency scores over a four‐year period, and find that, in line with an error‐correction hypothesis, Italian universities are improving their technical efficiency while English universities are obtaining stable scores. Policy implications are addressed.

/pdf/beyond-frontiers-comparing-the-efficiency-of-higher-11ru4ygcbg.pdf

Beyond frontiers: comparing the efficiency of higher education decision‐making units across more than one country

The growing internationalization of European Higher Education requires more emphasis on cross-country comparisons. In this paper, an efficiency analysis of Italian and Spanish universities is conducted; as well as from a comparative perspective. The efficiency scores are obtained using Data Envelopment Analysis. The results demonstrate a good average efficiency in both countries relative to each "country-specific" frontier; but when compared together, Italian universities seem relatively more efficient. Malmquist indexes show, in both cases, efficiency improvements in the period considered. In the Italian case, this improvement is due to major "technological changes"; that is, the introduction of some structural reforms in the sector (e.g. Bachelor/Master curricula). In the Spanish case, there is an improvement in "pure" efficiency, which is due to new funding models. Further stages of the study underline the role of "regional effects", probably due to different socio-economic conditions in Italy, and to the decentralization process in Spain.

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/Delivery.cfm/SSRN_ID1022881_code529945.pdf?abstractid=1022881&mirid=1

Comparing Efficiency in a Cross-Country Perspective: The Case of Italian and Spanish State Universities

The growing internationalization of European Higher Education requires more emphasis on cross-country comparisons. In this paper, an efficiency analysis of Italian and Spanish universities is conducted; as well as from a comparative perspective. The efficiency scores are obtained using data envelopment analysis. The results demonstrate a good average efficiency in both countries relative to each “country-specific” frontier; but when compared together, Italian universities seem relatively more efficient. Malmquist indexes show, in both cases, efficiency improvements in the period considered. In the Italian case, this improvement is due to major “technological changes”; that is, the introduction of some structural reforms in the sector (e.g., Bachelor/Master curricula). In the Spanish case, there is an improvement in “pure” efficiency, which is due to new funding models. Further stages of the study underline the role of “regional effects”, probably due to different socio-economic conditions in Italy, and to the decentralization process in Spain.

/pdf/comparing-efficiency-in-a-cross-country-perspective-the-case-19mvqopyc7.pdf

Comparing efficiency in a cross-country perspective: the case of Italian and Spanish state universities

In this paper, we consider the problem of determining technical efficiency of the Italian universities, focusing on policy and benchmarking implications. Using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), the individual university's efficiency is computed. We run several elaborations matching teaching and research variables representing the education production process. Computational results are given for 58 Italian public universities. We find a core of universities that perform well for various input and output specifications. We choose to focus on a single elaboration, selected on statistical grounds, to derive some policy implications.

Data envelopment analysis to the Italian university system: theoretical issues and policy implications

In this article, we analyse the effects of teaching reforms in Italy. These were introduced in 1999, and changed the entire organization of university courses, where the Bachelor–Master (BA–MA) structure was adopted. The first step is to define the production process of higher education (HE). This process consists of several inputs (professors, facilities and students) which combine to produce outputs (graduates). We define efficiency in this context. Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) is used for the empirical analysis. This method allows us to build a frontier of efficient units, comparing universities with each other. The changes introduced by the reforms are modelled within this framework: the effects of teaching reforms are investigated as determinants of efficiency improvements. Our results, also supported by a Malmquist index analysis, suggest that efficiency of the HE sector as a whole improved in the period 1998/1999 to 2003/2004. Despite the fact that teaching reforms led to worse performance in the first year, in the following years productivity improved more rapidly than before. Our analyses will require further advancements, both for (1) analysing quality issues (improving the production process modelling) and for (2) testing our findings on longer periods. In fact, even if the results clearly evidenced an improvement in performances, better analyses on unobservable factors (e.g. quality) and on longer periods will give stability to our preliminary results.

https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdfplus/40269137.pdf

Reforming the university sector: effects on teaching efficiency—evidence from Italy

In this paper, we analyse the effects of teaching reforms in Italy. These were introduced in 1999, and changed the entire organization of university courses, where the Bachelor-Master (BA-MA) structure was adopted. The first step is to define the production process of higher education (HE). This process consists of several inputs (professors, facilities and students) which combine to produce outputs (graduates). We define efficiency in this context. Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) is used for the empirical analysis. This method allows us to build a frontier of efficient units, comparing universities with each other. The changes introduced by the reforms are modelled within this framework: the effects of teaching reforms are investigated as determinants of efficiency improvements.Our results, also supported by a Malmquist Index analysis, suggest that efficiency of the HE sector as a whole improved in the period 1998/99 to 2003/04. Despite the fact that teaching reforms led to worse performance in the first year, in the following years productivity improved more rapidly than before. Our analyses will require further advancements, both for (1) analysing quality issues (improving the production process modelling) and for (2) testing our findings on longer periods.

Antonio Dal Bianco

Papers

Data envelopment analysis to the Italian university system: theoretical issues and policy implications

Reforming the university sector: effects on teaching efficiency—evidence from Italy

Reforming the University Sector: Effects on Teaching Efficiency - Evidence from Italy