Measuring the Relative Efficiency of Higher Education Services in Algeria Using the Data Envelopment Analysis Method

This study aims to measure the relative efficiency of eight Algerian university centers (Aflou, Mila, Elbayadh, Barika, Naama, Tindouf, Maghnia, Tipaza) during the 2023–2024 academic year. Data on inputs (student enrollment, faculty size) and outputs (graduates, research publications) were collected from Algeria’s Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research and analyzed using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). The CCR and BCC models under input- and output-oriented frameworks revealed that 75% of centers achieved full efficiency (score=1), while 25% (notably Tipaza and Elbayadh) exhibited inefficiencies requiring 15–33% input reductions or output increases. Critically, smaller centers (Aflou, Tindouf) outperformed larger institutions despite 40% lower budgets, debunking the “bigger is better” paradigm. The study identifies three evidence-based reforms: decentralized resource reallocation (redirecting 22% of budgets from inefficient to efficient centers), dynamic enrollment caps, and research-output incentives, potentially saving 1.2 billion DA annually. Future research should implement longitudinal DEA tracking to measure reform impacts, integrate labor market outcomes (graduate employment rates), and conduct comparative studies across North African universities. By proving that strategic resource optimization, not budget expansion, drives sustainable development, this work provides a replicable model for Global South nations aligning higher education with national development visions like Algeria’s 2030 agenda.