Efficiency and Financial Sustainability of Colombia Public Universities

The efficiency in the use of economic and financial resources is essential to ensure quality higher education. Addressing the challenges of sustainability, technology, and financial management is key for educational institutions to continue offering competitive training aligned with current demands. This research aims to analyze the technical efficiency and sustainability in the management of economic and financial resources allocated to public universities in Colombia, to propose improvement strategies. Data from the 2021 financial statements were used, and the Data Envelopment Analysis model, focused on inputs, was applied to determine relative efficiency. The results indicated that 43.5% of public higher education institutions in Colombia were fully efficient, while 56.5% showed inefficiencies. The average efficiency was 83.836%, with a maximum of 100%, a minimum of 35.51%, and a standard deviation of 21.37%. These findings are fundamental for the formulation of government policies that allow for the allocation of economic and financial resources based on management efficiency.