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

Authors: Tommaso Agasisti, Antonio Dal Bianco

Addresses: Department of Management, Economics and Industrial Engineering, 'Politecnico di Milano' Technical University, p.za Leonardo da Vinci, 32, Milan 20133, Italy. ' Istituto Regionale di Ricerca della Lombardia (IReR) via Copernico, 38, Milan 20125, Italy

Abstract: 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.

Keywords: technical efficiency; university performance; data envelopment analysis; DEA; Italy; policy; benchmarking.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBPM.2006.009613

International Journal of Business Performance Management, 2006 Vol.8 No.4, pp.344 - 367

Published online: 02 May 2006 *

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