Data analytics continue to increase in importance for colleges and universities as data practices demonstrate their value in understanding and addressing institutional successes and challenges.
A new Horizon Report from EDUCAUSE situates the changing needs of higher education data and analytics within a larger global context and macro trends that are shaping data and analytics for colleges and universities. The growing importance of data analytics plays out against these trends and their impact on various aspects of higher education from supporting digital transformations to the value of a college degree include:
SOCIAL
- Institutions are increasingly asked to support decisions with data.
- Many big data methods reinforce social inequality.
- A focus on creating equitable learning and work environments is increasing.
TECHNOLOGICAL
- Existing data infrastructures are outdated and disorganized.
- Institutions still struggle to implement data governance systems.
- Data literacy and AI skills still lag behind the rapid adoption of big data analytics products.
ECONOMIC
- Free or inexpensive certificates from nonaccredited platforms are becoming more common.
- The value and ROI of a college degree are being questioned.
- Tech salaries are growing at an unprecedented rate.
ENVIRONMENTAL
- Institutions are rethinking the use of their physical spaces.
- Commuting patterns are changing due to the pandemic.
- The demand for green IT services is growing.
POLITICAL
- Data privacy laws are getting more complex around the globe.
- There is increasing political involvement of public education.
- AI technology is being used for policing,
Specific examples and insights:
Grinnell College Data Insights Program
The college’s data insights program is a holistic approach to strategic data management involving people, process, and technology. It supports data quality, increases the use of data for decision-making and expands organizational capacity for analytics. Milestones have included adopting a business intelligence platform, building a data warehouse, creating robust data stewardship and increasing data and analytic literacy across administration.
University of the West Indies
The Campus Office of Planning and Institutional Research collaborated with IT Services to build business intelligence capability to monitor university performance against strategic initiatives. The initiative has decreased the university’s dependence on IT for data which has improved data reporting and increased confidence in the data.
University of North Texas
A campus-wide analytics/data governance program was developed collaboratively across IT, IR, and functional/technical stakeholders. The project’s diverse self-service analytics has improved the data conversations on campus. Insights 2.0 offers training, analytic products, and data governance to improve outcomes for students and the institution.
These are just a few examples of how colleges and universities are upgrading and adding value to data analytics capabilities in practical ways that improve student and faculty outcomes. This dive into data and analytics is the first in a series of articles on insights from the 2022 EDUCAUSE Horizon Report: Data and Analytics Edition. In coming weeks, we will continue to explore the report’s insights.