Benchmarking steps to help in accreditation process in higher education

As the higher education landscape is constantly changing, due to global and local market trends, stronger government regulations and accreditation requirements and new forms of competition (such as online education), universities have shown better management results when they have joined together to face these challenges with a common perspective.  

In this context, benchmarking is an increasing method to implement collaborative work between several higher education institutions, specially to deal with the accreditation processes.

For example, European universities have built organizations and developed comprehensive benchmarking strategies across the continent, creating interesting approaches.

Four different institutions – The European Centre for Strategic Management of Universities (ESMU); The Centre for Higher Education Development (CHE); The Unesco European Centre for Higher Education (Unesco – Cepes) and The University of Aveiro – developed a two-year project called “Benchmarking in European Higher Education”, where they analyze the bases, present the opportunities that benchmarking offers to universities in order to improve their processes, to achieve accreditations and to offer a better learning experience in an environment of excellency.    

“Benchmarking – the project says – is often defined as a diagnostic instrument, a self-improvement tool, a collaborative learning exercise and an on-going evaluation and systematic approach of continuously measuring work processes (…). We can describe benchmarking as the voluntary process of self-evaluation and self-improvement through the systematic and collaborative comparison of practice and performance with similar organizations.”

Related to this, Ph.D. professor Sarah L. Collie, from the University of Virginia, proposed the following basic steps to implement a benchmarking strategy in a higher education institution:

Step 1: What to benchmark?

• Identify critical processes.
• Collect internal data for comparison. How measure performance, understand strengths and weaknesses of current process.

Step 2: Who to benchmark?

• Internal Units. Comparison within an institution.
• Other colleges and universities. Comparison across institutions.
• Functional comparisons. Across diverse settings: higher education, corporate, industry, etc.
• Best in Class. Compare with exceptional performers.

Step 3: Collect data

• Collect comparative data: Qualitative and quantitative.
• Calls, surveys, site visits, interviews, review of websites.
• Systematic collection.

Step 4: Analyze data

• Gap between performance. Are others better? Why are they better?
• New strategies and practices for adoption. What practices could we adapt and adopt? 

Step 5: Implement improvements

• Action plan for change.
• Implement changes.
• Measure results for effectiveness.

According to The International Benchmarking in UK Higher Education 2011 Report, benchmarking strategies basically aim to achieve the following objectives: 

• To enhance the quality of education.
• To enhance the quality of research.
• To prepare students effectively for life and work in an intercultural and globalizing world.
• To enhance the international reputation and visibility of the unit. 
• To provide service to society and community social engagement.

For each of these currently nine action dimensions are available, the report identifies eight implementation categories:

• Category 1: Students
• Category 2: Staff
• Category 3: Administration
• Category 4: Funding and finance
• Category 5: Curricula and Academic Services
• Category 6: Research
• Category 7: Promotion and Marketing
• Category 8: Non-Academic Services and Campus and Community life

Taking these steps as a base to start working from, universities can implement an effective and simple benchmark strategy to improve internal processes and successfully achieve accreditations.

Is your institution using benchmarking strategies or practices? We invite you to share your experience.