IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jmathe/v9y2021i14p1626-d591621.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Analyzing the Impact of Spanish University Funding Policies on the Evolution of Their Performance: A Multi-Criteria Approach

Author

Listed:
  • Samira El Gibari

    (Department of Applied Economics (Mathematics), Campus El Ejido, Universidad de Malaga, 29016 Malaga, Spain)

  • Carmen Perez-Esparrells

    (Department of Economics and Public Finance, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain)

  • Trinidad Gomez

    (Department of Applied Economics (Mathematics), Campus El Ejido, Universidad de Malaga, 29016 Malaga, Spain)

  • Francisco Ruiz

    (Department of Applied Economics (Mathematics), Campus El Ejido, Universidad de Malaga, 29016 Malaga, Spain)

Abstract

The relationship between university performance and performance-based funding models has been a topic of debate for decades. Promoting performance-based funding models can create incentives for improving the educational and research effectiveness of universities, and consequently providing them with a competitive advantage over its competitors. Therefore, this paper studies how to measure the performance of a university through a mathematical multicriteria analysis and tries to link these results with certain university funding policies existing in the Spanish case. To this end, a reference point-based technique is used, which allows the consideration and aggregation of all the aspects regarded as relevant to assess university performance. The simple and easy way in which the information is provided by this technique makes it valuable for decision makers because of considering two aggregation scenarios: the fully compensatory scenario provides an idea of the overall performance, while the non-compensatory one detects possible improvement areas. This study is carried out in two stages. First, the main results of applying the proposed methodology to the performance analysis evolution of the largest three Spanish public university, over a period of five academic years, are described. Second, a discussion is carried out about some interesting features of the analysis proposed at regional level, and some policy messages are provided. The “intra” regions university performance analysis reveals some institutions with noteworthy behaviors, some with sustained trends throughout the analyzed period and other institutions with more erratic behaviors, within the same regional public university system despite having the identical funding model. However, the findings “inter” regions also reveal that only Catalonia has developed a true performance-based model, in theory and in practice, which has contributed to achieving excellent results at regional level in both teaching and research.

Suggested Citation

  • Samira El Gibari & Carmen Perez-Esparrells & Trinidad Gomez & Francisco Ruiz, 2021. "Analyzing the Impact of Spanish University Funding Policies on the Evolution of Their Performance: A Multi-Criteria Approach," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 9(14), pages 1-34, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jmathe:v:9:y:2021:i:14:p:1626-:d:591621
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7390/9/14/1626/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7390/9/14/1626/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Teichler, Ulrich, 2018. "Recent changes of financing higher education in Germany and their intended and unintended consequences," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 37-46.
    2. Pilar Laguna-Sánchez & Jesús Palomo & Concepción de la Fuente-Cabrero & Mónica de Castro-Pardo, 2020. "A Multiple Criteria Decision Making Approach to Designing Teaching Plans in Higher Education Institutions," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 9(1), pages 1-14, December.
    3. Ruiz, Francisco & El Gibari, Samira & Cabello, José M. & Gómez, Trinidad, 2020. "MRP-WSCI: Multiple reference point based weak and strong composite indicators," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    4. Blancas, Francisco J. & Caballero, Rafael & González, Mercedes & Lozano-Oyola, Macarena & Pérez, Fátima, 2010. "Goal programming synthetic indicators: An application for sustainable tourism in Andalusian coastal counties," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(11), pages 2158-2172, September.
    5. Daniel Torres-Salinas & Jose G. Moreno-Torres & Emilio Delgado-López-Cózar & Francisco Herrera, 2011. "A methodology for Institution-Field ranking based on a bidimensional analysis: the IFQ 2 A index," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 88(3), pages 771-786, September.
    6. F Ruiz & J M Cabello & M Luque, 2011. "An application of reference point techniques to the calculation of synthetic sustainability indicators," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 62(1), pages 189-197, January.
    7. Michael Freudenberg, 2003. "Composite Indicators of Country Performance: A Critical Assessment," OECD Science, Technology and Industry Working Papers 2003/16, OECD Publishing.
    8. 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.
    9. Oğuzhan Alaşehir & Murat Perit Çakır & Cengiz Acartürk & Nazife Baykal & Ural Akbulut, 2014. "URAP-TR: a national ranking for Turkish universities based on academic performance," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 101(1), pages 159-178, October.
    10. Pilar Murias & José Miguel & David Rodríguez, 2008. "A Composite Indicator for University Quality Assesment: The Case of Spanish Higher Education System," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 89(1), pages 129-146, October.
    11. Marginson, Simon, 2018. "Global trends in higher education financing: The United Kingdom," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 26-36.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Samira El Gibari & Trinidad Gómez & Francisco Ruiz, 2022. "Combining reference point based composite indicators with data envelopment analysis: application to the assessment of universities," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 127(8), pages 4363-4395, August.
    2. 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.
    3. Ana Garcia-Bernabeu & José Manuel Cabello & Francisco Ruiz, 2022. "A Reference Point-Based Proposal to Build Regional Quality of Life Composite Indicators," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 164(1), pages 11-30, November.
    4. Samira El Gibari & Trinidad Gómez & Francisco Ruiz, 2019. "Building composite indicators using multicriteria methods: a review," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 89(1), pages 1-24, February.
    5. José Manuel Cabello & Francisco Ruiz & Blanca Pérez-Gladish, 2021. "An Alternative Aggregation Process for Composite Indexes: An Application to the Heritage Foundation Economic Freedom Index," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 153(2), pages 443-467, January.
    6. Ruiz, Francisco & El Gibari, Samira & Cabello, José M. & Gómez, Trinidad, 2020. "MRP-WSCI: Multiple reference point based weak and strong composite indicators," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    7. José Antonio, Palomero-González & Vicent, Almenar-Llongo & Ramón, Fuentes-Pascual, 2022. "A composite indicator index as a proxy for measuring the quality of water supply as perceived by users for urban water services," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    8. de Castro-Pardo, Mónica & Cabello, José Manuel & Martín, José María & Ruiz, Francisco, 2023. "A multi reference point based index to assess and monitor European water policies from a sustainability approach," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    9. Franciely Velozo Aragão & Daiane Maria de Genaro Chiroli & Fernanda Cavicchioli Zola & Emanuely Velozo Aragão & Luis Henrique Nogueira Marinho & Ana Lidia Cascales Correa & João Carlos Colmenero, 2023. "Smart Cities Maturity Model—A Multicriteria Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-20, April.
    10. Olga Blasco-Blasco & Marina Liern-García & Aarón López-García & Sandra E. Parada-Rico, 2021. "An Academic Performance Indicator Using Flexible Multi-Criteria Methods," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 9(19), pages 1-19, September.
    11. E. Ricciolini & L. Rocchi & M. Cardinali & L. Paolotti & F. Ruiz & J. M. Cabello & A. Boggia, 2022. "Assessing Progress Towards SDGs Implementation Using Multiple Reference Point Based Multicriteria Methods: The Case Study of the European Countries," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 162(3), pages 1233-1260, August.
    12. Ruiz, Francisco & Cabello, José M. & Pérez-Gladish, Blanca, 2018. "Building Ease-of-Doing-Business synthetic indicators using a double reference point approach," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 130-140.
    13. Francisco Ruiz & José Manuel Cabello, 2021. "MRP-PCI: A Multiple Reference Point Based Partially Compensatory Composite Indicator for Sustainability Assessment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-19, January.
    14. Ana Garcia-Bernabeu & José Manuel Cabello & Francisco Ruiz, 2020. "A Multi-Criteria Reference Point Based Approach for Assessing Regional Innovation Performance in Spain," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 8(5), pages 1-21, May.
    15. Sarbjeet Kaur & Gurcharan Singh, 2020. "Financial Comparative Analysis of State Public Universities of Punjab," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 10(5), pages 140-144.
    16. Milica Maricic & Jose A. Egea & Veljko Jeremic, 2019. "A Hybrid Enhanced Scatter Search—Composite I-Distance Indicator (eSS-CIDI) Optimization Approach for Determining Weights Within Composite Indicators," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 144(2), pages 497-537, July.
    17. M. M. Segovia-González & I. Contreras, 2023. "A Composite Indicator to Compare the Performance of Male and Female Students in Educational Systems," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 165(1), pages 181-212, January.
    18. Marco Guerra & Francesca Bassi & José G. Dias, 2020. "A Multiple-Indicator Latent Growth Mixture Model to Track Courses with Low-Quality Teaching," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 147(2), pages 361-381, January.
    19. Cherchye, Laurens & Knox Lovell, C.A. & Moesen, Wim & Van Puyenbroeck, Tom, 2007. "One market, one number? A composite indicator assessment of EU internal market dynamics," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 51(3), pages 749-779, April.
    20. Feng Li & Yong Yi & Xiaolong Guo & Wei Qi, 2012. "Performance evaluation of research universities in Mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan: based on a two-dimensional approach," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 90(2), pages 531-542, February.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jmathe:v:9:y:2021:i:14:p:1626-:d:591621. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.