Methods and Instruments for University Performance. The Case of Romania

Higher education institutions, as change agents in the knowledge economy, are nowadays subject to increasingly competitive structures, legal frameworks, and regional and global dynamics. To keep the pace with the surrounding context, universities bring innovation into discussion by delivering superior value in the teaching process, in research activities as well as in the continuous communication with stakeholders. In order to quantify the progress reached, university performance needs to be timely monitored through methods, instruments, and key performance indicators and lessons learnt must be embodied in future educational practices. Additionally, to develop their potential, it is beneficial for higher education institutions to examine and embed procedures implemented by other similar entities from abroad. Likewise, benchmarking can also produce a valuable output when it is applied by Romanian policymakers and they integrate assessment practices in the current university performance measurement legislation. Given these matters, the paper aims to conduct a comparative analysis with respect to academic performance, to map commonalities and differences between national and international evaluation, and to propose a set of indicators to facilitate the harmonization of national regulations related to university performance. To ensure the achievement of the research objectives, the methodology consists of comparison between the national criteria for evaluation for financing and international criteria for rankings and accreditation. The research findings will provide solutions for leadership of the universities and policy makers in education filed to change the present system and transform it for the future challenges.