The Efficacy of Key Performance Indicators in Ontario Universities as Perceived by Key Informants

Oct 15, 2026

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The Ontario Ministry of Education and Training’s Task Force on University Accountability proposed key performance indicators (KPIs) for colleges and universities in Ontario in the early 1990s, focusing on graduation, employment, and OSAP loan default. This exploratory descriptive study examines perceptions of 12 key informants from 11 participating universities regarding the efficacy and effectiveness of these KPIs. Results show most participants believe the KPIs do not achieve intended impact, and the paper offers evidence-based recommendations to strengthen stakeholder collaboration, clarify goals and expectations, and address governmental, university, and public needs.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages17

Reading Time43 min

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Abstract

Résumé

Introduction

CSSHE SCÉES Canadian Journal of Higher Education Revue canadienne d’enseignement supérieur Volume 45, No. 4, 2015, pages 440-456 The Efficacy of Key Performance Indicatorsin Ontario Universities as Perceived by Key Informants Vivian Chan Ryerson University Abstract The Ontario Ministry of Education and Training’s Task Force on University Accountability first proposed key performance indicators (KPIs) for colleges and universities in Ontario in the early 1990s. The three main KPIs for Ontario universities are the rates of (1) graduation,(2) employment, and (3) Ontario Student Assistance Program loan default. This exploratory and descriptive study examined the perceptions of 12 key informants from 11 participating universities about the efficacy and effectiveness of these KPIs. The results of this study demonstrate that a clear majority of participants believe these KPIsare not having the intended impact. This paper analyzes the evidence and makes recommendations designed to foster efficient collaboration between stakeholders; it also asks all parties to clarify their goals, agreed expectations, and requirements, in order to develop effective measures of institutional performance and accountability and address the political needs of the government, the universities, and the public. Résumé Au début des années 90, le Groupe de travail sur la responsabilisationdes universités du ministère de l’Éducation et de la Formation de l’Ontario a d’abord proposé des indicateurs de performance pour les collèges et les universités de l’Ontario. Ces trois principaux indicateurs clés de performance (ICP) pour les universités ontariennes sont (1) les taux d’obtention des diplômes,(2) lestaux d’embauche et (3) lestaux de défaut de remboursementdes prêts du Régime d’aide financière aux étudiantes et étudiants de l’Ontario (RAFEO) . Cette étude exploratoire et descriptive a examiné la perception CJHE / RCES Volume 45, No. 4, 2015 What is Your Degree Worth? / B. Fenesi & F. Sana 441 de 12 répondants clés (provenant de 11 universités participantes) enversl’efficacité de ces ICP. Les résultats de cette étude démontrent qu’en majorité absolue, les participants croient que ces ICP n’ont pas l’effet envisagé . Ce rapport analyse les preuves et émet des recommandations ayant pour but de favoriser une collaboration efficace entre les intervenants. Il demande aussi à chaque partie de clarifier les objectifs, les attentes convenues et les exigences établies dans le but d’élaborer des mesures efficaces de la performance et de la responsabilisation des établissements, ainsi que d’adresser les besoins politiques du gouvernement, des universités et du public. Introduction The Ministry of Education and Training’s Task Force on University Accountability first proposed performance indicators for colleges and universities in Ontario in the early 1990s (Ministry of Education and Training, 1993) . The decision to develop and use key performance indicators (KPIs) was made that same decade, to help students reach informed program decisions (MET, 1998) . The required KPIs for the Ontario universities were graduation rates, employment rates, and Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) loan default rates. The research project behind this paper studied the impact of KPIs on a large group of Ontario universities—specifically, the efficacy of KPIs in the context for which they were adopted, 10 years following their implementation, as “key informants” saw them. This investigation further sought to identify areas of concern among the participants and to solicit suggestions for either altering or improving the KPIs’ effectiveness. The informants from the Ministry of Education and Training’s Task Force on University Accountability, known as the Broadhurst Task Force (named after the taskforce’s chair, Dr. William Broadhurst), included a member appointed by the ministry, a Council of Ontario Universities (COU) representative, and an observer/consultant

FAQs

What KPIs does the Ontario framework prioritize for universities?

The framework prioritizes graduation rates, employment rates, and OSAP loan default rates.

How was the study conducted and who were the participants?

The study is exploratory and descriptive, using responses from 12 key informants drawn from 11 participating universities.

What do the results indicate about the KPIs’ effectiveness?

A clear majority of participants believe the KPIs are not having the intended impact.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Muffet