Five Questions with Alexander Civil
Senior Evaluations Officer at The University of Queensland, Australia
Alexander interviewed himself with a dog at a market, and later by the UQ fountain.
1. What is your job title?
Senior Evaluations Officer within the Institute of Teaching and Learning Innovation at The University of Queensland (UQ).
2. Briefly, how would you describe your role in your institution?
I support the collection, analysis, and reporting of student evaluation data to enhance teaching and learning at UQ—primarily through SECaTs and SETutor. I also manage enquiries that come to the Student Surveys and Evaluations Team, ensuring that academics receive the guidance they need to interpret and use student feedback effectively.
Beyond this, my role involves designing and managing evaluation systems, contributing to data-informed decision-making, and improving how student feedback is utilised. I feel privileged to be in this role at a time when UQ is transitioning to a new student evaluation system. Being involved in onboarding a large-scale project at such a massive institution has been an invaluable learning experience.
3. From your perspective, what will be the key skills, capabilities and knowledge required for institutional research moving forward?
I’m still early in my journey in institutional research, so I don’t yet feel qualified to speak with confidence; however, from the brief time I’ve had so far, I’ve noticed the field has experienced a lot of change since 2020. Long-standing structures that once felt stable have undergone significant upheaval, and we now operate in an environment of uncertainty and rapid change. Given this, I believe success in institutional research will require a mix of technical expertise, adaptability, and strong communication skills.
Key areas include:
- Data literacy & analytics
The ability to collect, analyse, and—most importantly—verify and validate large datasets. - Adaptability & flexibility
The resilience to navigate change, think on our feet, and push forward despite uncertainty or unexpected challenges. - Effective communication
The ability to present data-informed proposals clearly, sincerely, and persuasively. - Technological awareness
Keeping up with advancements in AI-driven analytics, and automated reporting tools.
4. What does being part of the AAIR community mean to you?
I feel incredibly privileged to be part of this community, especially as an emerging professional. AAIR is filled with expertise and wisdom, and if I can absorb even one per cent of it, I know I’ll be 100 times better off.
I’m also excited to connect with each and every one of you. A question I’ve been asking my friends lately is: ‘When was the last time you got goosebumps from something truly awe-inspiring?’ So I’d love to pose it to you. If you have an answer, I’d be absolutely thrilled if you emailed your response to editor@aair.org.au—I’ll be collating them for the next newsletter!
5. Complete this statement:
In my role, I can’t operate effectively without …
… my brilliant colleagues. I know it’s a bit of a cliché, but I truly lean on them, and I’ve learned so much from each and every one of them.
On a practical level, I rely on the support of my supervisors to do my best work. I tend to be a big-picture thinker, always generating ideas and looking for ways to improve things. While not every idea is fully formed—some need more refining, while others might be a bit too ambitious—the freedom to explore them, even to the point of hitting a dead end, is incredibly rewarding and a valuable part of my growth.
Lately, I’ve been learning about databases. Understanding how to structure data is giving me new ways to streamline processes and improve workflows. It’s a steep learning curve, but having the space to experiment and apply what I’m learning makes a huge difference.
So, I want to take a moment to shout out to all the supervisors who trust their teams to explore wacky ideas. Your support makes a difference, and I, for one, appreciate it greatly.
Alexander Civil
March 2025
Answer 5 Questions
Would you like to feature in the ‘Institutional Researcher’s Corner’ segment of our newsletter, The Institutional Researcher? Contact our trusty editors with the answers to 5 simple questions, and we’ll feature you in an upcoming issue.
