EFFICIENCY OF ACADEMIC ENGINEERING PROGRAMS IN COLOMBIA: AN APPROACH THROUGH DATA ENVELOPMENT ANALYSIS

The purpose of this research is to assess the educational quality based on academic efficiency using three distinct data development analysis models, with the Engineering programs in Colombia serving as decision-making units. The research is evaluative in nature and is divided into four phases: 1) context analysis, 2) database development and adequacy assessment (DEA), 3) exploratory data analysis, and 4) outcome analysis. The results indicate that 14.3%, 29.8%, and 88.7%, respectively, of the engineering programs analysed are efficient for the CCR, BCC, and FDH models. What is novel in this study is the inclusion of end-of-high-school standardized exam results as input variables for the DEA model, as well as end-of-college exam results. Thus, the concept of quality and efficiency may be articulated, implying that colleges with the highest efficiency levels have a larger capacity for human resource transformation. The findings demonstrate how universities with high-quality certification achieve higher levels of efficiency. The proportion of efficient universities with excellent accreditations is 65 percent, 67 percent, and 78 percent, respectively, for CCR, BCC, and FDH. The study's primary contribution is the establishment of an analytical framework for evaluating university degrees that enables the identification and quantification of each degree's strengths and limitations, so serving as a tool for making objective educational decisions.