The determinants of quality national higher education systems

What are the determinants of quality in national higher education systems?

The quality of a national higher education system is crucial for the economic and cultural development of a nation, contributing to workforce training, knowledge dissemination, and innovation. Comprehensive evaluation of these systems is necessary to inform policy decisions and improve educational outcomes, which in turn can elevate living standards and national competitiveness. Understanding the factors that influence quality can guide investments in resources, regulatory frameworks, and institutional practices that lead to better educational performance.

We evaluated the performance of national higher education systems in 48 countries using 20 variables grouped under four categories: Resources, Environment, Connectivity, and Output. Data were collected from reputable international agencies such as OECD, UNESCO, World Bank, IMF, and ILO. We calculated scores for each country based on these variables and combined them into an overall ranking, analyzing interrelationships between attributes.

We find that countries with high output rankings also tend to be high in resources, with a notable correlation between research output and government funding, particularly R&D expenditure. The regression analysis shows that resources significantly determine output, with an equation of output being approximately 34.36 + 0.536*resources + 0.465*environment, with a R² of 0.610. Furthermore, we find that having low government funding along with high control produces the weakest national higher education systems.

• 48 countries evaluated with 20 variables from OECD, UNESCO, World Bank, IMF, and ILO.

• Government funding correlates positively with educational quality.
• A diversified funding model contributes to better educational performance.
• The relationships between resources, environment, and output are significant and measurable.