Conference Tracks
Being accountable: Performance Indicators and
Quality Assurance
- What is the role of Institutional Research in a context of ever-increasing internal and external demands for accountability? Suggested topics include:
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- Encouraging the responsible use of performance indicators and league tables.
- Developing better methodologies for comparing higher education institutions.
- The role of Institutional Research in quality assurance and enhancement.
Supporting decision makers: Planning, Policy and Management
- The role of Institutional Research in internal and external planning and
policy making. Suggested topics include: -
- Environmental scanning and identifying strategic issues.
- Investigating and monitoring the efficiency and effectiveness of policies, strategies and processes.
- Scenario modelling.
- Methods of information provision for improved Enrolment Management.
Institutional Research in action: Tools, methods and
capacity building
- Developing the profession of Institutional Research, through:
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- Building capacity in Institutional Research.
- Developing new tools and methods for IR.
- Promoting the role and profile of IR in learning organisations.
Enhancing student experiences and measuring outcomes
- Using Institutional Research throughout the student life cycle, from recruitment to employment. Suggested topics include:
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- The use of IR to help enhance the student experience.
- Researching student retention/progression/completion.
- Using IR to help enhance teaching, learning and assessment.
- The role of IR in internationalising the curriculum and developing students’ intercultural skills and understanding.
Looking forward through Institutional Research
- Against a background of rapid change in its social, economic, scientific, environmental and technological contexts, how can Institutional Research help the future higher education institution to engage with its range of possible futures? Themes include:
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- Considering future scenarios.
- Working across institutional and disciplinary boundaries, and across national borders.
- Planning for new technologies.
- Creating sustainable futures.
