Title: Intellectual capital valuation processing in higher education

Authors: Alea M. Fairchild, Bruno De Vuyst

Addresses: Vesalius College, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium. ' Vesalius College, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium

Abstract: The role of higher education in the economic structure of a country is important as it adds value to both the private and public sector, from the provision of educated employees to increased research and development innovation. However, the Intellectual Capital (IC) value of a higher education institution is rarely discussed when cost and efficiency of higher education is debated. Even private institutions tend to focus on production economic methods to visualise the (financial) value of their institution. This paper discusses IC in attempting to understand both the tangible and intangible assets of a university and the value IC brings to such an institution. A case study of a European university is included, with directions for future research on the process approach of valuing IC and its worth in the debate on cost and efficiency of higher education.

Keywords: higher education; intellectual capital valuation; metrics; case study; intangible assets; tangible assets; university assets; costs; efficiency; performance measurement; Belgium.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLIC.2005.006807

International Journal of Learning and Intellectual Capital, 2005 Vol.2 No.1, pp.81 - 91

Published online: 15 Apr 2005 *

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