Five Questions with Louise Hargreaves

Bond University, Australia

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Louise chose to be interviewed in her own chair

4. What do you believe will be the future priorities for institutional research?

For a profession that is less than 60 years old, institutional research has undergone regular evolution to meet the changing needs of higher education. This ability to adapt to data and information needs will see the role of institutional research become more relevant in a rapidly changing environment where decision making is becoming more complex. The future priorities for institutional research are no different to other professions undergoing disruptive change. The question is, how do we continue to add value in a world where tools and data—once the domain of information and planning offices—become more widely accessible? In essence, we are facing the same disruption as universities—once the originators and keepers of knowledge—and the traditional university model is now being challenged by automated learning platforms and the availability of knowledge online. In a new world of digital technologies, artificial intelligence and robots, we may need to consider reprioritising the institutional research skills set. Technical and analytical skills have long dominated institutional research; however, issues intelligence and contextual intelligence will become progressively more important. Our internal stakeholders will increasingly demand more than standard data reports, they will be seeking contextual understanding and information on how to apply the research findings. As institutional researchers, we need to have an extensive knowledge of the sector within which we work, and a deep understanding of how we can progress the institution’s objectives within this environment. Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash