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An efficiency analysis of higher education institutions in China from a regional perspective considering the external environmental impact

Author

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  • Jie Wu

    (University of Science and Technology of China)

  • Ganggang Zhang

    (University of Science and Technology of China)

  • Qingyuan Zhu

    (Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics
    Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics)

  • Zhixiang Zhou

    (Hefei University of Technology)

Abstract

Higher education plays a significant role in economic growth and social development. However, the uneven development of higher education in China has become an important factor restricting its overall progress. Traditional data envelopment analysis (DEA) models used by previous studies are deterministic and susceptible to the impacts of measurement errors and the omission of unobserved but potentially relevant variables, which we referred to as environmental variables latter. To address both of these drawbacks, we develop and implement a three-stage DEA model to examine the efficiency of China’s mainland 31 provinces’ Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in 2016, which fills the gap in the efficiency evaluation of HEIs in all provinces of China. The “real” efficiency about management performance of each province’s HEIs is obtained and decomposed after the impacts of environmental variables and random errors are eliminated. Lastly, relevant policy suggestions are given on how to improve the efficiency of each province’s HEIs.

Suggested Citation

  • Jie Wu & Ganggang Zhang & Qingyuan Zhu & Zhixiang Zhou, 2020. "An efficiency analysis of higher education institutions in China from a regional perspective considering the external environmental impact," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 122(1), pages 57-70, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:scient:v:122:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1007_s11192-019-03296-5
    DOI: 10.1007/s11192-019-03296-5
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    Cited by:

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    2. Zhang, Ganggang & Wu, Jie & Zhu, Qingyuan, 2020. "Performance evaluation and enrollment quota allocation for higher education institutions in China," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    3. Biao Chen & Yan Chen & Yajing Sun & Yu Tong & Ling Liu, 2024. "The measurement, level, and influence of resource allocation efficiency in universities: empirical evidence from 13 “double first class” universities in China," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-16, December.
    4. Zihong Liu & Haitao Xiong & Ying Sun, 2023. "Will Online MOOCs Improve the Efficiency of Chinese Higher Education Institutions? An Empirical Study Based on DEA," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-21, March.
    5. Sun, Yu & Yang, Feng & Wang, Dawei & Ang, Sheng, 2023. "Efficiency evaluation for higher education institutions in China considering unbalanced regional development: A meta-frontier Super-SBM model," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    6. Yu Zhu & Feng Yang & Bengang Gong & Wei Zeng, 2023. "RETRACTED ARTICLE: Assessing the efficiency of innovation entities in China: evidence from a nonhomogeneous data envelopment analysis and Tobit," Electronic Commerce Research, Springer, vol. 23(1), pages 175-205, March.
    7. Chen, Xiaolei & Guan, Zhongcheng & Yang, Guoliang & Pan, Hao & Xiong, Xi, 2024. "Evaluation of technology transfer performance for Chinese universities based on a dual-game cross-efficiency model," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    8. Jie Wu & Lulu Shen & Ganggang Zhang & Zhixiang Zhou & Qingyuan Zhu, 2024. "Efficiency evaluation with data uncertainty," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 339(3), pages 1379-1403, August.
    9. Tommaso Agasisti & Guo-liang Yang & Yao-yao Song & Carolyn-Thi Thanh Dung Tran, 2021. "Evaluating the higher education productivity of Chinese and European “elite” universities using a meta-frontier approach," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 126(7), pages 5819-5853, July.
    10. Yukun Shi & Duchun Wang & Zimeng Zhang, 2022. "Categorical Evaluation of Scientific Research Efficiency in Chinese Universities: Basic and Applied Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-16, April.
    11. Xi Xiong & Guo-liang Yang & Kai-di Liu & De-qun Zhou, 2022. "A proposed fixed-sum carryovers reallocation DEA approach for social scientific resources of Chinese public universities," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 127(7), pages 4097-4121, July.
    12. López-Torres, Laura & Johnes, Jill & Elliott, Caroline & Polo, Cristina, 2021. "The effects of competition and collaboration on efficiency in the UK independent school sector," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 40-53.
    13. Del Barrio-Tellado, María José & Gómez-Vega, Mafalda & Herrero-Prieto, Luis César, 2023. "Performance of cultural heritage institutions: A regional perspective," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 87(PB).

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