Some insights on benchmarking in education ( A presentation made in AMAIUB Academic department in 2010 )

1. AMA INTERNATIONALAMA INTERNATIONAL
UNIVERSITY- BAHRAINUNIVERSITY- BAHRAIN
September 2010September 2010
BENCHMARKINGBENCHMARKING
Dr. Emelin Molo MagadaDr. Emelin Molo Magada
Academic Affairs OfficeAcademic Affairs Office

2. What is Benchmark ?What is Benchmark ?
What is Benchmarking ?What is Benchmarking ?
““ As defined in the QAAET-HERUAs defined in the QAAET-HERU
Program Handbook “Program Handbook “

3. Benchmark / Reference pointsBenchmark / Reference points ::
Benchmark statements representBenchmark statements represent
general expectations about thegeneral expectations about the
standards of achievement andstandards of achievement and
general attributes to be expectedgeneral attributes to be expected
of a graduate in a given academicof a graduate in a given academic
field or subject.field or subject.
Reference standards may beReference standards may be
external or internal.external or internal.

4. External reference pointsExternal reference points
allow comparison of theallow comparison of the
academic standards andacademic standards and
quality of a programme withquality of a programme with
equivalent programmes inequivalent programmes in
the Kingdom andthe Kingdom and
internationally.internationally.

5. Internal reference pointsInternal reference points
may be used to comparemay be used to compare
one academic field withone academic field with
another, or to identifyanother, or to identify
trends over a given timetrends over a given time
periodperiod..

6. ““ From the paper presentationFrom the paper presentation
during the 4th Internationalduring the 4th International
Benchmarking Conference,Benchmarking Conference,
Bahrain, 27-28 October, 2009,Bahrain, 27-28 October, 2009,
of DR. Robin Mann , Director,of DR. Robin Mann , Director,
Centre for OrganizationalCentre for Organizational
Excellence Research (COER )Excellence Research (COER )
and Chairman , Globaland Chairman , Global
Benchmarking Network ( GBN )Benchmarking Network ( GBN )
, New Zealand “, New Zealand “

7. BENCHMARKING :BENCHMARKING :
Benchmarking is muchBenchmarking is much
more than performancemore than performance
comparisonscomparisons..

8. -- Benchmarking focuses onBenchmarking focuses on
“learning from the experience“learning from the experience
of others” and is defined asof others” and is defined as
“identifying, adapting, and“identifying, adapting, and
implementing the practicesimplementing the practices
that produce the bestthat produce the best
performance results”performance results”

9. -- Benchmarking is aBenchmarking is a
powerful method forpowerful method for
breakthrough thinking,breakthrough thinking,
innovation, improvementinnovation, improvement
and for deliveringand for delivering
exceptional bottom-lineexceptional bottom-line
resultsresults

10. -- New benchmarkingNew benchmarking
methodologies aim tomethodologies aim to
ensure that benchmarkingensure that benchmarking
projects result in majorprojects result in major
benefits (financial and non-benefits (financial and non-
financial).financial).

11. -- New website tools makeNew website tools make
benchmarking easier.benchmarking easier.

12. ““ Organisations including Universities /Organisations including Universities /
Higher Education Institutions are constantlyHigher Education Institutions are constantly
looking for new ways and methodologies tolooking for new ways and methodologies to
improve their performance and gain aimprove their performance and gain a
competitive advantage. As they seekcompetitive advantage. As they seek
improvements to their own businessimprovements to their own business
processes, many organisations recognise theprocesses, many organisations recognise the
importance of learning from best practices /importance of learning from best practices /
good practices that have been achieved bygood practices that have been achieved by
other organisations. By removing the needother organisations. By removing the need
to ‘reinvent the wheel’ and providing theto ‘reinvent the wheel’ and providing the
potential to adopt proven practices,potential to adopt proven practices,
benchmarking has become an importantbenchmarking has become an important
methodology for providing a fast-track tomethodology for providing a fast-track to
achieving organisational excellence. ”achieving organisational excellence. ”

13. Types ofTypes of
benchmarkingbenchmarking
It is useful to distinguishIt is useful to distinguish
between the main types ofbetween the main types of
benchmarking.benchmarking.

14. Firstly, there isFirstly, there is
““InformalInformal
Benchmarking”Benchmarking”..

15. ““Informal Benchmarking”Informal Benchmarking”.. This is aThis is a
type of benchmarking that most of ustype of benchmarking that most of us
do unconsciously at work and in ourdo unconsciously at work and in our
home life. We constantly compare andhome life. We constantly compare and
learn from the behavior and practiceslearn from the behavior and practices
of others – whether it is how to use aof others – whether it is how to use a
software program, how to cook asoftware program, how to cook a
better meal, or play our favouritebetter meal, or play our favourite
sport. In the context of work, mostsport. In the context of work, most
learning from informal benchmarkinglearning from informal benchmarking
comes from the following:comes from the following:

16. •• Talking to workTalking to work
colleagues and learningcolleagues and learning
from their experiencefrom their experience
(coffee breaks and team(coffee breaks and team
meetings are a greatmeetings are a great
place to network andplace to network and
learn from others)learn from others)

17. •• CConsulting with expertsonsulting with experts
(for example, business(for example, business
consultants who haveconsultants who have
experience of implementingexperience of implementing
a particular process ora particular process or
activity in many businessactivity in many business
environments)environments)

18. •• Networking with otherNetworking with other
people from otherpeople from other
organisations atorganisations at
conferences, seminars,conferences, seminars,
and Internet forums.and Internet forums.

19. •• On-line databases/webOn-line databases/web
sites and publicationssites and publications
that share benchmarkingthat share benchmarking
information provide quickinformation provide quick
and easy ways to learn ofand easy ways to learn of
best practices andbest practices and
benchmarks.benchmarks.

20. Secondly, there isSecondly, there is
“Formal“Formal
Benchmarking“Benchmarking“ of whichof which
there are two types – 1there are two types – 1..
PerformancePerformance
BenchmarkingBenchmarking and 2.and 2. BestBest
Practice BenchmarkingPractice Benchmarking..

21. PerformancePerformance
benchmarking describesbenchmarking describes
the comparison ofthe comparison of
performance dataperformance data
obtained from studyingobtained from studying
similar processes orsimilar processes or
activities.activities.

22. PerformancePerformance
benchmarking describesbenchmarking describes
the comparison ofthe comparison of
performance dataperformance data
obtained from studyingobtained from studying
similar processes orsimilar processes or
activities.activities.

23. Comparisons of performanceComparisons of performance
may be undertakenmay be undertaken betweenbetween
companies – or internallycompanies – or internally
within an organisation. It iswithin an organisation. It is
useful for identifyinguseful for identifying
strengths andstrengths and opportunitiesopportunities
for improvement.for improvement.

24. Performance benchmarking may involvePerformance benchmarking may involve
the comparison of financialthe comparison of financial measuresmeasures
(such as expenditure, cost of labour, cost(such as expenditure, cost of labour, cost
of buildings/equipment, cost of energy,of buildings/equipment, cost of energy,
adherence to budget, cash flow, revenueadherence to budget, cash flow, revenue
collected) or non-financial measurescollected) or non-financial measures
(such as(such as absenteeism, staff turnover, theabsenteeism, staff turnover, the
percentage of administrative staff topercentage of administrative staff to
front-line staff, budgetfront-line staff, budget processing time,processing time,
complaints, environmental impact or callcomplaints, environmental impact or call
centre performance).centre performance).

25. Best PracticeBest Practice
BenchmarkingBenchmarking describesdescribes
the comparison ofthe comparison of
performance data obtainedperformance data obtained
from studying similarfrom studying similar
processes or activitiesprocesses or activities andand
identifying, adapting, andidentifying, adapting, and
implementing theimplementing the practicespractices
that produced the bestthat produced the best
performance results.performance results.

26. Best practiceBest practice
benchmarking is thebenchmarking is the
most powerful type ofmost powerful type of
benchmarking.benchmarking.

27. It is used for “learningIt is used for “learning
from the experience offrom the experience of
others” and achievingothers” and achieving
breakthroughbreakthrough
improvements inimprovements in
performance.performance.

28. Best practice benchmarkingBest practice benchmarking
focuses on “Action” – i.e. doingfocuses on “Action” – i.e. doing
something with the comparisonsomething with the comparison
data and learning why otherdata and learning why other
organisations are achievingorganisations are achieving
higher levels of performance.higher levels of performance.
Best practice benchmarkingBest practice benchmarking
projects typically take from 2projects typically take from 2
to 4 months to identify bestto 4 months to identify best
practices.practices.

29. The practices then need to beThe practices then need to be
adapted and implemented. The timeadapted and implemented. The time
taken for the whole project variestaken for the whole project varies
dependent on the project’s scope,dependent on the project’s scope,
importance, and resources used.importance, and resources used.
Projects are usually resourceProjects are usually resource
intensive (in terms of the projectintensive (in terms of the project
team’s time) and so care needs to beteam’s time) and so care needs to be
taken that they focus on issues oftaken that they focus on issues of
high strategic importance that willhigh strategic importance that will
deliver major bottom-line benefits.deliver major bottom-line benefits.

30. Methodologies forMethodologies for
Best PracticeBest Practice
BenchmarkingBenchmarking
There is no single benchmarkingThere is no single benchmarking
methodology that has beenmethodology that has been
universally adopted. The wideuniversally adopted. The wide
appeal and acceptance ofappeal and acceptance of
benchmarking has led to variousbenchmarking has led to various
benchmarking methodologiesbenchmarking methodologies

31. TRADETRADE is one suchis one such
methodology. Themethodology. The TRADETRADE
benchmarking methodologybenchmarking methodology
focuses on the exchange (or”focuses on the exchange (or”
trade”) of information and besttrade”) of information and best
practices to improve thepractices to improve the
performance of processes,performance of processes,
goods and services.goods and services.

32. TRADE consists of fiveTRADE consists of five
stages as follows :stages as follows :

33. •• TTerms of Referenceerms of Reference
(plan the project - aims,(plan the project - aims,
objectives, scope,objectives, scope,
resources, cost/benefitresources, cost/benefit
analysis)analysis)

34. •• RResearchesearch
(research current(research current
state/state/
performance)performance)

35. AAct (undertake datact (undertake data
collection & analysiscollection & analysis
– to compare– to compare
against others)against others)

36. •• DDeployeploy
(communicate and(communicate and
implement bestimplement best
practices)practices)

37. EEvaluate (evaluate thevaluate (evaluate the
benchmarking processbenchmarking process
and outcomes toand outcomes to
ensure the project hasensure the project has
met its aims)met its aims)

38. AMAIUBAMAIUB
BENCHMARKINGBENCHMARKING
LEVEL OF FOCUSLEVEL OF FOCUS
( RECOMMENDATION )( RECOMMENDATION )

39. WHOLE OFWHOLE OF
INSTITUTIONINSTITUTION
FOCUS :FOCUS :
STANDARD-BASEDSTANDARD-BASED
Thru Partnership / MoU’s andThru Partnership / MoU’s and
ACCREDITATIONACCREDITATION

40. COLLEGE LEVELCOLLEGE LEVEL
FOCUS :FOCUS :
- DISCIPLINE SPECIFIC- DISCIPLINE SPECIFIC
- DEPARTMENT /- DEPARTMENT /
SPECIALIZATION SPECIFICSPECIALIZATION SPECIFIC
- COURSE SPECIFIC- COURSE SPECIFIC

41. Program DescriptionProgram Description
ILO’sILO’s
Graduate AttributesGraduate Attributes
Etc…Etc…

42. COURSE DESCRIPTIONCOURSE DESCRIPTION
ILO’sILO’s
Teaching – LearningTeaching – Learning
StrategiesStrategies
Assessment ToolsAssessment Tools
etcetc

43. Note : All College areNote : All College are
required to developrequired to develop
BENCHMARKING PLANBENCHMARKING PLAN
in all recommended Levels /in all recommended Levels /
FocusFocus

44. THANK YOU.THANK YOU.