An Application of the Data Envelopment Analysis Methodology in the Performance Assessment of the Zaragoza University Departments

The increasing interest in the measurement of the performance and efficiency in non-profit public organisations, has led to the development of performance indicators, each of which attempts to measure the output (input) of a group of nearly homogeneous products (factors of production). The Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) methodology enables to aggregate performance indicators in order to obtain an overall performance measure through the comparison of a group of decision units. This paper conducts an application of the DEA methodology in the assessment of the performance of the Zaragoza University’s departments (Spain). The indicators included concerns both the teaching and the research activity of the departments. The results reveal those departments that more efficiently carry out these activities. Finally, we discuss about the existence of differences in the strengths and weaknesses between departments of different areas.