Tackling the "Performance Issues" of Universities

Universities are often mammoth sized institutions, quite huge in terms of the level at which these operate, the physical areas these can be spread across and the task they undertake

Such facts create an equally big problem of integration in the operations. Keeping an account of the enormous number of students who enrol and those who pass out of n university every year is a complex task. Moreover, ensuring that the funds (procured in an effective way) are put to use in a productive way adds to the complexity. However, this complexity can be brought down to a "comfortably manageable" level by utilizing a measurable approach like BSC (Balanced Scorecard).

BSC was initially devised by Norton and Kaplan in early 1990s as an answer to dilemma witnessed by organizations that related to Financial and non- financial metrics. In this, several quantitative indicators can be framed under suitable number of categories for knowing the way each was heading. In the case of universities, these can be Teaching perspective, Financial perspective, Research and Learning perspective and Internationalization and Diversity perspective. Teaching can be evaluated via the average Students: professor ratio, % rise in higher degree courses and Course Completion Index. Financial aims can be followed by knowing the "fraction of Governmental funds allocated to the concerned university" and "institutional processes and funding plans implemented". Research and Learning activities can be assessed by using indicators like acclamation ratio, % of students that took part in academic enhancement activities, etc. Lastly, International and Diversity aspect can be formalised using the parameters su

ch as proportion of the total students who are from nation, other than the home country, % of faculty and staff from diverse backgrounds and international conference fraction.

The hurdles such as "mismatch between funds and probable uses" is among the top most challenges a university has to deal with. Gradually, taking apt steps will lay the foundation of a successful organization. Managing the cultural diversity issues with utmost diligence also requires a heavy toll on the part of the university staff and continuously finding out appropriate international knowledge enhancement activities for the students and faculties to excel is what a university always strives for.

However, the job is not as smooth as it seems. The key lies in knowing which indicators will pay and which are illusory in nature. By analyzing closely the factors which have a bearing on the performance of the place giving an "intellectual enrichment", KPIs can be identified. While carrying out this exercise, a top-down approach should be adopted. This is to say that the tem should start with searching, on a broad basis, the directions in which progress is to be maintained. Further, the view should be narrowed down enough to give the indicators. This filtering process is a tricky and significant job. Therefore, it has to be done meticulously.

However, one needs to understand that the mentioned group of indicators do not stand in isolation. This is to say that if a University is determined to raise the acclamation ratio (i.e. a part of Research and Learning perspective), it has to make sure that the Average students: Professor ratio (i.e. a part of Teaching perspective) is comfortable for both the groups.

To state it all, the summarized form of "valuable parameters" can help the university in contributing to their financial and non- financial issues effectively.