Work

Assessing Resource Management in Higher Education Sustainability Projects: A Bootstrap Dea Case Study

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: This case study evaluates the efficiency of STEM-based sustainability initiatives at the University of Brasilia (UnB) using a Bootstrap Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) approach. Twenty projects were analyzed based on input variables—team size, budget, and workload—and output variables—number of beneficiaries and published papers. The results indicate higher efficiency in the Mathematics and Civil Engineering departments, while Energy Engineering showed the lowest performance. A strong correlation (r = 0.78) was observed between budget and publication volume, but no significant relationship was found between the inputs and number of beneficiaries. SDG 4 (Quality Education) was the most frequently addressed, whereas SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) and SDG 14 (Life Below Water) received less attention. The study identifies key areas for improvement, emphasizing the need for more balanced resource allocation and contextual awareness over sustainability priorities. It also offers an adaptive and replicable framework to other faculties or institutions seeking to optimize sustainability efforts through the lens of resource allocation optimization.

Source: Sustainability

DOI: 10.3390/su17198653

Authors: Ricardo Casonatto, Tales Souza, Gustavo Silva, Victor Oliveira, Simone Monteiro

Institution: Universidade de Brasília

Language: English

Topic: Efficiency Analysis Using DEA

Subfield: Management Science and Operations Research

Field: Decision Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Responsible consumption and production, Quality education

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,896