From Rankings to Insight: International Benchmarking with Composite Indicators to inform Education Policy

Seminar in presence and online

Ana Camanho
University of Porto, Portugal

Education systems are intrinsically complex and multifaceted, yet they are often simplified into rankings that prioritise top positions over contextual understanding. This oversimplification skews reality and prevents meaningful policy learning. This presentation advocates for a more refined and policy-relevant approach: constructing robust, context-sensitive composite indicators using advanced extensions of the Benefit-of-the-Doubt (BoD) model for international benchmarking of education systems. By integrating methods such as conditional analysis and expert-informed weight restrictions, this approach captures qualitative dimensions, considers socioeconomic context, and aligns measurement with strategic objectives. Furthermore, the framework allows for the exploration of temporal dynamics, enabling the identification of performance trends and structural changes over time. Analyses are also extended to the regional level, offering insights into spatial disparities and contextual heterogeneity within education systems. Ultimately, it helps policymakers to draw more actionable insights, using composite indicators not merely for comparison, but as tools for designing more effective educational policies.

Register

Ana Camanho is Vice-Rector for Digital Transformation and Information Management at the University of Porto, and Full Professor at the Faculty of Engineering (FEUP). She holds a Ph.D. in Industrial and Business Studies from Warwick Business School (UK). Her research focuses on Operational Research and Data Science, particularly on the development of frontier-based models to assess efficiency and productivity. She has authored over 100 papers in leading international journals and serves as Associate Editor of the Journal of Productivity Analysis, Sustainability Analytics and Modeling, and RAIRO-Operations Research. Ana Camanho previously served as Vice-President of the Portuguese Operational Research Society (APDIO) and coordinates the Data Science area of the MIT Portugal Program. She has participated in several research projects in fields such as education, health, energy, and sustainable development, and received the Faculty of Engineering’s Award for Teaching Excellence in 2021.