3. From your perspective, what will be the key skills, capabilities and knowledge required for institutional research moving forward?

Given the ever-increasing amount of data that is available, and the rise of ‘big data’, it will be increasingly important for data to be presented clearly to intended audiences so that the key messaging is not lost. Evolving communication skills, not least of which include data visualisation techniques, are increasingly necessary to ensure data is presented in a meaningful format, and that key stakeholders engage with the data and use it appropriately to inform strategic priorities. It’s also important for institutional researchers to understand the priorities/needs of stakeholders and recognise that a one-size-fits-all approach to reporting and dissemination may not be the best method. For data insights to be acted upon, more nuanced mechanisms of reporting and dissemination for specific stakeholders may be more appropriate.

Collaboration, both across teams/organisational units within an institution and cross-institutionally, is also increasingly important as an institutional researcher. Building professional networks can open doors to collaborations and partnerships that can play a fundamental role in developing and diversifying institutional research projects. This can, in turn, often drive improvements to current practices more readily, and lead to broader transformative change than a more siloed approach can offer. Moving forward, further collaboration can be achieved by recognising key stakeholders (e.g., students, teaching staff, and professional staff) as decision makers that have direct input on how the data is utilised and any recommendations that are made, rather than the more traditional approach of institutional research based on a service relationship with a small set of decision makers.

4. What do you believe will be the future priorities or emerging areas of interest for institutional research?

Based on what I have observed in my current role of late, and work that I have recently been involved in, the concept of higher education students’ sense of belonging to their institution is gaining momentum as an emerging area of interest for institutional research. A students’ sense of belonging to their university community often has a direct impact on both student success and students’ overall satisfaction with their educational experiences (both critical aspects of higher education) and is certainly now becoming an important benchmarking and performance metric for many institutions. However, there is still work to be done to definitively understand how a tertiary student defines ‘sense of belonging’, and what the specific aspects of their university experience are that contribute to a high level of belonging. By garnering a better understanding of this, institutions can tailor programs and initiatives to successfully build ‘sense of belonging’ and, in turn, improve both students’ overall satisfaction and rate of success.

In Australia, the Universities Accord, of which the final report is due out in December 2023, is also likely to be a significant driver of institutional research priorities moving forward. The Interim Report highlights several large-scale issues for further policy consideration, including inter alia; accessibility to higher education, equity and diversity, international engagement and excellence in learning and teaching and the student experience, the latter of which closely aligns to the concept of ‘sense of belonging’.