Efficiency Analysis of Public Universities In Thailand

This paper examines the performance of Thai public universities in terms of efficiency, using a non-parametric approach called data envelopment analysis. Two efficiency models, the teaching efficiency model and the research efficiency model, are developed and the analysis is conducted at the faculty level. Further statistical analyses are also performed to examine the difference in performance between two types of public universities, namely the government universities and the autonomous universities. Then, the differences in efficiency between university locations and types of faculties are examined. The results indicate that the autonomous universities outperform the government universities in terms of research efficiency. In addition, the universities in provincial areas and the faculties in the health science group are efficient in terms of teaching. Recommendations are also provided for the university administrators to improve the performance of public universities in Thailand. © 2010 European Higher Education Society.