How and why does cost efficiency of universities differ across European Universities? An explorative attempt using new micro data

Book chapter, 2014

This chapter analyses the cost efficiency of universities, through a cross analysis of universities in different European countries. The focus is on describing the cost efficiency of universities located in six countries, using new developed cross-national set of input and output variables, as well as series of exogenous variables. This approach allows us to explore cross-country variation in cost efficiency as well as the impact of institutional factors on efficiency variation. As such, we hope to contribute to the current debates in academic literature and policy circles about the various determinants of university performance and about the rationales for changing European higher education systems. Currently there are huge pressures to reform educational and research systems in European countries e.g. by providing better education to more people at a lower cost. Hence advances in understanding university performance across-national patterns are vital for further understanding and public policy reforms for the future. This chapter addresses how and why cost efficiency of universities differs across European countries.