Editorial

This is my inaugural editorial for the AAIR newsletter. I feel excited undertaking this role, but at the same time, a bit anxious and overwhelmed.

While all Australia and New Zealand universities are ready for another academic year this month, it might be also a good time for reflection. I’d like to share some words from Nicolas Tarling’s work on modern universities: ‘[t]he concept of the university…was spelled out in legislation, and Parliament insisted on the principles of academic freedom and institutional autonomy. It remained for the universities not only to point to these guarantees but also to continue to justify them by their practice.’(1999, p. 150).

Institutional research is where universities justify their teaching, research, and other practices. For that, the Webber edited Building Capacity in Institutional Research and Decision Support in Higher Education (see our Book Review section) would be the most relevant piece for all of us to examine our roles, skills and knowledge and find a focus to develop/build our capacities.

The second Tuesday of February (5th Feb) marked the beginning of a Chinese New Year in the lunar calendar, and this year is the year of pig. The pig is the twelfth of all zodiac animals. In Chinese culture, pigs are the symbol of wealth. Their chubby faces and big ears are also signs of fortune (as the cover photo shows). I have used the photo in the cover page to wish all AAIR members good fortune and wealth!