Four Questions with Kylie Fantin
Education Data Specialist within the Education Design, Quality & Standards Directorate at James Cook University, Australia
Kylie chose to be interviewed on Trinity Beach at sunrise.
1. Briefly, how would you describe your role in your institution?
I recently stepped into the Education Data Specialist role, just under 12 months ago, after 13 years at JCU. In this role, I operationalise JCU’s Student Evaluation of Subjects and Teaching by deploying the YourJCU suite of surveys and providing analysis and reporting of student experience data.
My work includes designing and managing evaluation systems, strengthening the use of data in decision‑making, and improving how student feedback is understood and utilised. I particularly enjoy working with the integration of staff and student data, and the associated flow of data in and out of the survey platform, as it allows me to deeply understand how information is structured and connected. I collaborate broadly across the Education Division, academic Colleges, and service areas, to refine data processes, enhance our analytics capability, and support improvements in teaching quality and the student experience.
Photo right: Kylie’s baby, Calvin the Cavoodle
2. From your perspective, what will be the key skills, capabilities and knowledge required for institutional research moving forward?
The future of institutional research will require a strong blend of technical capability, strategic thinking and the ability to communicate insights clearly to inform clear actions. Key areas include:
- Data integration and analytics, especially working with connected systems and emerging technologies.
- Evaluation design and data literacy, ensuring data is reliable, meaningful and appropriately interpreted.
- Data storytelling, translating complex information into clear, actionable insights for diverse audiences.
- Process and systems thinking, understanding how data is generated and how quality can be improved at the source.
- Collaboration and relationship building, as institutional research continues to bridge strategy, quality, teaching, learning, and the student experience.
Curiosity remains, in my view, the most important capability – driving improvement, strengthening data quality and keeping our work meaningful. This, combined with the thoughtful use of AI tools, will enable us to explore patterns more deeply, question assumptions, and continually enhance the way we understand and use educational data.
3. What does being part of the AAIR community mean to you?
As a new AAIR member (joining only last week!), I’m genuinely excited to connect with colleagues across the sector who share a commitment to improving the quality and impact of education data. Being part of the AAIR community offers an opportunity to learn from others, share practice, and stay engaged with emerging trends in institutional research.
I’m especially looking forward to being involved in the Surveys & Evaluation SIG, as this aligns closely with my work and interests. Connecting with others who work in similar spaces will be incredibly valuable as I continue to develop in my role.
4. Complete this statement:
In my role, I can’t operate effectively without …
… the support of the Quality & Evaluation team! We are a small group and work closely together, and we’re always learning from each other.
I also love engaging with colleagues across JCU, it’s a great community of people who are all focused on improving the student experience.
And a quick shout out to our wonderful JCU students who continue to provide meaningful feedback!
Kylie Fantin
March 2026
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