Evaluation of the efficiency of agricultural higher education institutions of Ukraine and the dynamics of its change by data envelopment analysis

Abstract

Presently, the process of assessing the effectiveness of higher education institutions and analysing the dynamics of its change needs to be improved, which determines the relevance of this study. The purpose of this study was to improve the assessment of the efficiency of agricultural higher education institutions of Ukraine in the scientific and journalistic context, as well as to investigate the changes in dynamics using the non-parametric method of assessing the relative efficiency of data envelopment analysis. The study used methods of statistical processing and data analysis, linear programming, computer computing to solve research problems, and logical and analytical methods to determine the purpose of the study, the means of achieving it, substantiate the findings of the study, and formulate conclusions. To evaluate the effectiveness of scientific and publishing activities of these higher education institutions, the input-oriented model of variable returns to scale of the data envelopment analysis method was applied. Using statistical data for 2020- 2022, the net technical efficiency of scientific and publishing activities of 37 agricultural higher education institutions of Ukraine was assessed. Based on the results of the assessment, a rating of agricultural higher education institutions in Ukraine was compiled. It was found that in 2021 and 2022, 27% of the surveyed higher education institutions were 100% effective. The average net technical efficiency in 2021 and 2022 was 0.91. In 2021-2022, 27% of agricultural higher education institutions increased the efficiency of scientific and publishing activities, 59% did not change, and 14% decreased. On average, there was a 1% increase in the use of educational resources in the field of agricultural higher education. Thus, the scientific and publication activities of agricultural higher education institutions during the study period are progressive. The findings of this study can be used for a reasonable ranking of higher education institutions according to the efficiency of scientific and publishing activities, analysis of the dynamics of changes in efficiency.