Benchmarking in higher education

Purpose: Nowadays higher education (HE) meets a number of challenges, global, systemic and local: international competition, competition between public and non-public sectors, competition inside the sectors, growing expectations of the market, population decline, insufficient funding, etc. Higher education institutions (HEIs) must be effective to succeed in research, to provide best academic practices and high quality of studies. The purpose of the paper is to present the concepts and results of Program “Benchmarking in HE” conducted by the Polish Rectors Foundation. Methodology: Benchmarking is crucial for the whole HE system as the method of searching for best practices that enables the achievement of the best results by learning from the others, using their experience and collaborating with them. To be appropriate to HE system, research methodology includes external benchmarking and benchmarking of processes. Also open method is used, so the project beneficiary is the entire system of Polish HE. The benchmarking system applied by PRF monitors a wide range of quality and efficiency characteristics of Polish HEIs. Findings: Research program “Benchmarking in HE” studies and evaluates Polish HEIs performance through comparative institutional learning approach providing them with crucial information, promoting wider environmental networking, increasing efficiency and improving their international competitiveness, etc. The benchmarking research program consisted of 5 projects that can be grouped into studies aspects (e-learning, quality assurance systems, studies flexibility, National Qualifications based on European Qualification Framework and managerial ones (university governance). Each project results in a summary report providing not only analytical survey, but also practical recommendations. Value: Benchmarking being a part of good governance principle in HE is valuable research both in Poland and internationally (e.g. European Benchmarking Initiative). Our benchmarking program boosts quality of Polish HE system, university strategic profiling and performance improving for ensuring the life-long-learning principles in Poland.