Benchmarking

We recognise that benchmarking is a valuable tool for universities and colleges to identify efficiencies and control costs. It enables them to focus on priorities and make better use of scarce resources.

The higher education sector has taken advantage of this tool to carry out benchmarking activity in both academic and organisational areas. It has also been used to demonstrate that universities and colleges are working to provide value for money.

Benchmarking tools

We have invested in the development of tools in this area:

AMHEC Benchmarking for HE
This project is designed to identify and disseminate good practice, and share and analyse benchmarking data.

Delivery of nationally produced statistics on HEIs via the web
This project provides a national online tool for publishing key higher education statistics for the purposes of analysis and comparison.

Estates management statistics
These are statistics designed to inform the way in which institutions manage and improve their physical infrastructure.

Research into benchmarking

We have funded research into benchmarking to improve efficiency carried out by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).

The report, ‘Benchmarking to improve efficiency’, is the output of the first of a two-stage process designed to help the sector drive efficiency through more effective and extensive benchmarking of its activities.

Promoting benchmarking

We are working in partnership with HESA to promote the use of benchmarking and realise the potential of this approach for the sector. With the support of the University Modernisation Fund a programme of work is taking place, including the development of an infomation kit and enhancement of HEIDI as a benchmarking resource.