Forum 2009

Theme/Title: The Impact of Institutional Research (IR) on Institutional Effectiveness: Are we closing the loop?
Date: 21 to 23 September 2009
Location/Venue: Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth

ABSTRACT

Forum 2009 of the Southern African Association for Institutional Research is designed to provide opportunities for self-reflection to IR professionals as well as interaction with a range of other stakeholders (including higher education leaders and managers, experts, administrators and researchers) on the question: How do we know that the range of IR activities in our higher education institutions contribute to the enhancement of institutional effectiveness? Can it be demonstrated? If so, how? Are we closing the loop? How do we understand the notion of the “loop” in this context?
The belief that the availability and use of “IR products” (such as business intelligence based on reliable data and information, published in fact books etc.) contribute to good decision-making, management and monitoring is widely held. Evidence-based decision-making has become one of the mantras of our time. IR officers are employed at institutions with the expectation that their work will enhance evidence-based decision-making and support and facilitate the range of activities aimed at enhancing institutional effectiveness. Yet, unfortunately quite often IR professionals have the rather disheartening experience that reports based on many hours of hard work are not used by people in leadership roles in institutions. IR professionals often pose the following questions: How many reports end up unopened on the shelves? Is the number of clicks on web resources where information is published an indication of satisfactory levels of usage of the information? What is the effect of the mass distribution of information (e.g. “fact books”, information brochures, study reports) within institutions?

The Final Programme is available here …