U of A's Data Strategy to Move Forward Academic, Research and Employer Efforts

The U of A's data strategy has been a common discussion topic during the 150 Forward strategic planning process. Campus leaders have consistently mentioned data as an important enabler to the university's strategic priorities — advancing student success, achieving research excellence and enhancing the university's status as an employer of choice.

"We have so many opportunities to make great, data-based decisions in a way that we've never done before," said Ann Bordelon, executive vice chancellor for finance and administration. "That will require us to invest in some capabilities within the university, maximize strengths we already have in areas like institutional research, identify our pockets of data specialists across campus and coordinate activities in a way that ensures data is guiding all our strategies and decisions."

U of A leaders plan to launch focus groups with data specialists, or the faculty and staff members who are responsible for owning, managing and ensuring accuracy of data, beginning April 25. The focus groups will help determine the university's data strategy by defining standards, definitions and security processes across campus.

"Our long-term goal for data strategy at the University of Arkansas is to move from descriptive analytics to prescriptive analytics," said Brandon Bayles, director of strategic analytics and insights. "In other words, we want analytics that not only describe past results, but inform our decision making for the future."

To achieve that goal, the U of A is focused on:

• Building an effective data management and technology structure with defined roles and responsibilities for data consumers
• Increasing data literacy across campus by sharing common knowledge and having meaningful conversations about data
• Developing best practices for reporting and analytics that optimize the value of data

Faculty or staff members who own or manage data sets and are accountable for their accuracy are invited to email data@uark.edu to be added to the list of data specialists who will participate in focus groups.

About 150 Forward: The university is partnering with EAB, a higher education research group, to help facilitate several activities supporting the 150 Forward strategic planning process including a goal-setting workshop for campus leaders and providing a "toolkit" with resources for benchmarking and best practices. During the next few months, the university will initiate the town hall series, multiple workshops and other activities related to developing the university's strategic plan.  

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $2.2 billion to Arkansas' economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research News.