Australia once again proved its sporting dominance, securing an impressive 4th place on the medal table. Meanwhile, New Zealand, a nation with a slightly smaller population than Victoria, made history by finishing 11th overall. For Australia, this was their most successful Olympics ever, while New Zealand celebrated their highest-ever gold medal count.
From the President
The 2024 Olympic Games in Paris were nothing short of spectacular. From the lavish, mesmerising opening ceremony, to the breathtaking venues and, of course, the incredible results for both Australia and New Zealand. This event truly had it all.
What truly stood out in Paris was the exceptional performance of the wāhine (women) athletes from both countries. Swimmer Mollie O’Callaghan became Australia’s most successful athlete at the Paris 2024 Olympics, taking home three gold medals, along with a silver and a bronze. From New Zealand, kayaker Dame Lisa Carrington added three gold medals to her already illustrious career, bringing her total to five golds, a silver, and a bronze across her Olympic journey.
Behind these awe-inspiring achievements lies something often overlooked: the power of data. These athletes didn’t just wake up one day and decide to be champions. Their success is built on years of meticulous planning, rigorous training, and, crucially, data. Whether it’s comparing results, tracking performance, or analysing time trials, data is at the heart of their preparation and success.
In the world of sports, data analysis is big business. The professionals who work with elite athletes are highly skilled, applying their expertise to ensure these athletes have every chance of achieving their dreams of Olympic glory.
As institutional research professionals, we play a similar role within our institutions. We support our learners in achieving their dreams, just as sports data analysts support their athletes. We provide the data and analysis to enable our institutions to ask critical questions: What does success look like? How successful are we? What strategies are working, and where can we improve? How will we know when we’ve achieved success for our learners?
Like those sports data analysts, our focus must always remain on the learner, because they are at the core of everything we do. Our institutions are dedicated to educating and creating critical thinkers, and our work is crucial in ensuring that mission is fulfilled.
Tertiary education in both Australia and New Zealand is grappling with a host of challenges. Institutions are struggling to define who they are and what they stand for, all while striving to meet the needs of increasingly diverse populations. On top of that, there’s the ever-present concern of securing enough funding to keep the lights on and ensure staff are employed.
In the face of these challenges, I urge you to step up and demonstrate how your professional practice is making a real difference for every learner in your institution. Your work matters now more than ever. Join us at the 2024 AAIR Forum in Adelaide from 18 to 20 November, where you will have the opportunity to share your insights, learn from others, and collaborate to find solutions. By coming together, we can fortify the entire tertiary education system, ensuring it remains strong and resilient for our learners, teachers, leaders, and fellow professional staff.
