Online Events

From Whiting to Groper: A Scalable AI Framework for Growing Team Capacity

9 April 2026 (12–12:45pm AEST / 2–2:45pm NZST)

Online

LIVE WEBINAAIR

• Presenter: Etienne Viljoen, Business Intelligence Manager at Charles Darwin University
• Facilitator: David Cawthorne, Manager, Government Reporting Transformation, CDU, and AAIR Executive Committee member

Join us for an inspiring and practical session with award-winning presenter Etienne Viljoen, Business Intelligence Manager at Charles Darwin University.

Fresh from winning Best Presenter at the AAIR Forum, Etienne returns with a clear, scalable framework for building team capacity through AI. Using a memorable fishing analogy, he will demonstrate how institutional research teams can move beyond manual processes and technical debt to create a more strategic, resilient and proactive data culture.

If you’re ready to reduce the daily grind, automate with confidence and grow capability step by step, this session will give you a practical blueprint for change.

Abstract

Institutional research teams are often caught in an endless tide of technical debt, where simply ‘treading water’ with manual processes is the norm. The mindset that there’s honour in this struggle is no longer sustainable. This presentation charts a new course, introducing a repeatable framework for using AI as a powerful current to build capability and navigate complexity. We’ll guide attendees on a scalable journey from Whiting to Groper, demonstrating how any team can start small and methodically grow its capacity through clear, progressive stages: from Whiting to Bream, Flathead, Jewfish, and finally Groper.

This step-by-step approach transforms a team’s focus from the daily grind to strategic innovation. It provides a clear pathway to systematically reduce technical debt, automate repetitive tasks, and build a resilient, proactive data culture. By mastering one level at a time, teams can turn murky, undocumented depths into a clear, accessible navigational chart, allowing them to get ahead of the swell and anticipate the next wave. Our talk is a blueprint for change. Attendees will learn how a small team, even with a junior crew, can use this framework to build momentum and achieve significant outcomes. This is a story of empowerment, demonstrating how a phased AI adoption strategy can help any team ride the reporting wave and land the big one.

Pricing:

• Members: FREE
• Non-members: $75.74 (AUD$65 + GST + booking fee)

THIS IS A LIVE WEBINAAIR. A RECORDING WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE.

AAIR Live Interview: Institutional Research Journeys with Life Member Kathie Rabel

10 April 2026 (12–1 pm AEST / 2–3pm NZST)

Online

LIVE WEBINAAIR

🎤 Host: Eva Seidel (AAIR President), Associate Director, Research Engagement and Success at Flinders University, Australia
🎙 Guest: Kathie Rabel (AAIR Life Member), former AAIR President with a rich career in institutional research across Australasia

About the Event

Join us for an insightful live interview as AAIR President Eva Seidel sits down with AAIR Life Member Kathie Rabel to explore her institutional research journey. This conversation will dive into Kathie’s career path, her experiences within the higher education sector, her leadership roles within AAIR, and the lessons she’s learned along the way.

Kathie’s story spans decades of work in universities across the United States and New Zealand, her evolving involvement in institutional research, and her significant contributions to AAIR’s growth and community over many years.

What to Expect

• Personal reflections on entering and evolving in the field of institutional research
• Insights into AAIR’s history and impact, seen through the lens of a Life Member
• Leadership learnings from Kathie’s time on the AAIR Executive Committee
• Q&A segment – bring your questions for a live discussion

Who Should Attend

This event is ideal for:

• Institutional research professionals at all career stages
• Members and supporters of AAIR
• Anyone interested in the stories behind our professional community

Why Attend

Hear firsthand how a respected member of the AAIR community navigated a career in institutional research, built professional networks, and contributed to the profession’s development across Australasia.

Pricing:

• Members: FREE
• Non-members: $75.74 (AUD$65 + GST + booking fee)

THIS IS A LIVE WEBINAAIR. A RECORDING WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE.

AAIR in Aotearoa: Supporting Your Professional Practice

13 April 2026 (11–11:40 am NZST / 9–9:40 am AEST)

Online

LIVE WEBINAAIR

Presenters:

• Stuart Terry (AAIR Immediate Past President), Organisational Researcher at Otago Polytechnic, New Zealand
• Ewa Seidel (AAIR President), Associate Director, Research Engagement and Success at Flinders University, Australia

Nau mai, haere mai

Are you working in the tertiary education sector in Aotearoa New Zealand — in a university, wānanga, polytechnic, or private training establishment (PTE) — and looking to strengthen your professional practice in data, insights, planning, or institutional research?

Join us for a relaxed online session exploring how the Australasian Association for Institutional Research (AAIR) can support your work within an Aotearoa New Zealand context. This is a free session, and you do not need to be an AAIR member to attend.

AAIR is the leading professional body for practitioners working in data, analytics, planning, and institutional research, with a growing community of over 320 members across Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand, and the Pacific.

In this session, we will focus on what AAIR offers you professionally — the opportunity to connect with peers facing similar challenges, contribute to a network that actively shares professional practice, and learn from approaches used across the tertiary sector. Through its Australasian network, AAIR enables you to bring broader perspectives and proven practices back into your own organisational context in Aotearoa New Zealand.

We will also introduce ways to get involved, including Special Interest Groups, events, and opportunities to connect with others working in data, analytics, planning, quality, and institutional research across Aotearoa and Australia.

Whether you are new to this work or more experienced, this session will help you strengthen your practice, expand your professional network, and gain ideas you can apply in your role.

Join us to connect with others across Aotearoa and explore how AAIR can support you to do your work with greater confidence, insight, and impact.

Pricing:

• Members: FREE
• Non-members: Also FREE

THIS IS A LIVE WEBINAAIR. A RECORDING WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE.

2025 ESS National Results

15 April 2026 (2–3 pm AEST / 4–5pm NZST)

Online

This month’s webinar will cover the key findings and insights from the 2025 ESS National Report, which was released on Wednesday 1 April. Note that this webinar will run for 60 minutes.

Please feel free to forward this invitation to other colleagues who may be interested in attending.

If you are unable to attend, a recording will be made available on the QILT Provider Portal.

Institutional Research: Making data available to drive strategic decision making

16 April 2026 (12–1 pm AEST / 2–3pm NZST)

Online

LIVE WEBINAAIR

• Presenter: Brooklyn Coyle, Manager, Performance Analysis, University of the Sunshine Coast
• Facilitator: Lisa Bolton, AAIR Executive Committee member

Biography

Brooklyn Coyle is a higher-education leader who brings extensive private-sector commercial expertise to the sector. At the University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC), Brooklyn drives executive decision-making in enrolment strategy, strategic planning, analytics, and performance reporting, translating complex data into clear, actionable insights. With a strong track record in the private sector leading strategy, stakeholder engagement, and operational delivery, Brooklyn applies a results-oriented approach that balances regulatory requirements with market dynamics. This commercial grounding informs a pragmatic style that strengthens evidence-based decisions and enables effective cross-functional execution. Known for crisp analysis and collaborative leadership, Brooklyn supports institutional strategy through insights and analytics that deliver impact for students, staff, and communities.

Abstract

The delivery of UniSC’s Strategic Plan 2025–2028 is supported by a new Institutional Research (IR) Framework designed to embed evidence-based insights at every stage of decision making. This presentation introduces the model and its practical application in driving outcomes across the institution.

At its core, the framework identifies key value drivers that link institutional research to strategic priorities. These drivers are operationalised through a structured institutional research cycle ensuring research activities are purposeful, transparent, and outcome focused.

The session will also outline the institutional research engagement approach, which emphasises cross functional collaboration and partnering for impact to translate analytics into decisions that matter for students, staff, and communities. Finally, the presentation will showcase the suite of institutional research outputs, from deliverables and design principles to integration mechanisms, that make data accessible, actionable, and strategically aligned.

Delegates will gain practical insights into how a deliberately designed IR model can strengthen institutional agility, enhance evidence-based planning, and embed a culture of continuous improvement. By connecting strategy, research, and implementation, this framework offers a replicable approach for universities seeking to maximise the value of institutional research in an era of complexity and change.

Pricing:

• Members: FREE
• Non-members: $75.74 (AUD$65 + GST + booking fee)

THIS IS A LIVE WEBINAAIR. A RECORDING WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE.

Member Virtual Networking – What’s Working (and What’s Not) in Cross-Collaboration

23 April 2026 (12–1 pm AEST / 2–3pm NZST)

Online

LIVE WEBINAAIR

Facilitator: Lisa Bolton (AAIR Executive Committee member), Australia

What’s really working when it comes to cross-collaboration in institutional research – and what’s not?

Join fellow AAIR members for an interactive virtual networking session where we’ll share honest insights, real experiences and practical lessons from across the sector. Whether you’ve found approaches that work well or are navigating ongoing challenges, this is a space to exchange ideas and learn from one another.

Bring along your own examples and be part of a collaborative discussion on how we can strengthen partnerships, break down silos, and improve the way we work together to support better decision making.

This informal session is all about connection, conversation and community – an opportunity to learn from peers and build valuable professional relationships across AAIR.

Pricing:

• Members: FREE
• Non-members: $75.74 (AUD$65 + GST + booking fee)

THIS IS A LIVE WEBINAAIR. A RECORDING WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE.

Forecasting Demand Driven Equity Funding: What’s Working (and What’s Not)

30 April 2026 (12–1pm AEST / 2–3pm NZST)

Online

LIVE WEBINAAIR

Facilitators:

• Gabrielle Harrison, Load Management & Planning SIG Co-Chair (and Senior Advisor Funding Policy and Planning, University of Melbourne)
• Alexandra Sieniarski, Load Management & Planning SIG Co-Chair (and Director, Analytics, Planning and Performance, The University of Notre Dame Australia)

Join the Load Management & Planning Special Interest Group for an interactive information exchange focused on forecasting demand driven equity funding.

This session is designed as a practical, peer-led discussion where members will share how their institutions are approaching forecasting, demand management, and funding modelling in a rapidly evolving policy environment. The Load Management & Planning SIG provides a forum to exchange ideas, improve processes, and build connections across the sector.

Participants are encouraged to bring their own examples to the discussion – what’s working well, what challenges remain, and what lessons have been learned along the way. Through shared experiences, we will explore different approaches to forecasting and managing demand driven equity funding, including how institutions are adapting models, assumptions, and processes.

We will also open the discussion to insights and experiences from across the sector, including reflections on approaches such as those used at The University of Melbourne.

This is a collaborative and engaging session designed to support practical learning, strengthen professional networks, and provide real-world insights you can apply in your own context.

What to expect:

• Peer-led discussion and knowledge sharing
• Practical examples from across institutions
• Open conversation on challenges and approaches
• Opportunity to ask questions and learn from others

Pricing:

• Members: FREE
• Non-members: $75.74 (AUD$65 + GST + booking fee)

THIS IS A LIVE WEBINAAIR. A RECORDING WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE.