Academic Productivity Dynamics in Colombian Social Science Programs: A PCA–Malmquist Index Approach (2020–2023)

Assessing academic productivity in higher education is challenging because performance depends on multiple correlated competencies and evolves across heterogeneous regional contexts. This is especially relevant in Colombian Social Science programs, where territorial disparities may mask differences in academic efficiency. This study analyses academic productivity dynamics from 2020 to 2023 using a combined PCA–Malmquist Index approach based on 11,099 observations. First, PCA was used as an unsupervised learning technique to reduce dimensionality and identify latent performance profiles. Second, the Malmquist Index was used to estimate productivity change through technological change (TC), pure technical efficiency change (PECH), and scale efficiency change (SECH). The findings show that the strongest profile was associated with Critical Reading, English, and Written Communication, increasing from 20% to 27% in the final period. Technological change explained 76% of productivity improvements, with Magdalena showing the best performance, while Huila lagged due to lower TC and PECH levels. The results highlight that academic productivity in Colombian Social Science programs is shaped by both educational performance and unequal regional capacity for academic modernization.