The highly anticipated EHESO benchmarking tool for higher education institutions across Europe has officially launched, providing a comprehensive platform for comparing institutional performance across key indicators. 

Developed using EHESO-ETER data alongside external sources covering publications and patents, the tool draws on data from around 3 500 institutions and is now available for use by higher education organisations throughout Europe. 

The platform offers two distinct viewing modes to suit different user needs: an 'at a glance' view for quick overviews and an expert view for detailed analysis, including time series information for trend analysis and longitudinal comparisons. A download function will be added soon. 

At the core of the tool lies a bespoke EHESO peer selection algorithm. It identifies the 15 most similar peers for each covered higher education institution. The algorithm calculates pairwise distances across eight key indicators, including institutional age, size, education intensity, master's degree orientation, PhD intensity, subject concentration, STEM specialisation and the presence of a university hospital. 

The benchmarking tool encompasses seven main categories of indicators, providing a holistic view of institutional performance: resources, teaching and learning, research, knowledge transfer, regional engagement, international orientation and societal challenges. The platform presents the most recent data from 2022.  

The first dedicated training session was held on 17 December 2025 to help institutions make the most of this powerful analytical resource (the presentation is available here). The next training session is upcoming on 19 February 2026 (details here). 

The launch marks a significant milestone in higher education data analytics, offering institutions a valuable resource for strategic planning, performance assessment and peer learning across European higher education systems.