The Data Tangle

Stop Fighting Your Data: Why HE Professionals Are Stuck Between "Terrible" and "Perfect"

"There's so much talk about how much value is in our data, but in practice it just feels like an afterthought."

If you work with data in higher education, this probably resonates deeply. You're not alone - and the challenges you face are more common than you might think. After a decade working across the HE sector, we have analysed similar issues and we've observed a troubling gap: there's often a disconnect between how data is positioned as an "institutional asset" and the daily reality of those actually working with it.

The result? Data seems to exist in only two states - "terrible" or "perfect" depending on who you ask. Meanwhile, you're stuck in the middle, often frustrated and definitely under-resourced.

Here's How We're Exploring This

We've launched a research project focused on understanding the lived experience of HE data professionals. Not the strategic overview or the boardroom perspective - but the day-to-day realities of working with institutional data.

We're collaborating with professionals across 12 different HE roles to understand:

• What's really working (because some things definitely are)

• Where the biggest frustrations lie

• What practical solutions exist that don't require massive budgets or lengthy programs

  
  

All of this is happening against a backdrop of really tough financial and staffing constraints being faced by nearly all institutions. That's why we've chosen to start this work - we're positive there are solutions that don't require large programs or major investments and at the end of our interview and analysis process, we’ll be very honest if we find this isn’t the case!

What We'll Be Sharing

Starting next week, we'll begin sharing our findings here on LinkedIn as we uncover them:

• Common themes emerging across institutions

• Insights from different roles and perspectives

• Potential solutions we're exploring (we'll be honest about what works and what doesn't)

• Practical approaches that institutions are already using successfully

Our aim is to explore what's really happening with HE data and share what we learn.

Keen to Share Your Own Experience?

We'd love to hear from you as part of this research. If you'd like to contribute your perspective (and we'll do our best to provide some actionable advice in return), we'd welcome a conversation. Drop us a message here or email hello@ed-connect.co.uk.

Don't worry about timing - we know Confirmation and Clearing right now , and enrolment coming soon are keeping everyone busy. All our findings will be available on our website (www.ed-connect.co.uk) whenever you have time to catch up.

Something to leave you with

Here's another comment from our research: "It's so complicated getting what I need - I have to log into three systems to get basic student information."

Sound familiar? From all such similar comments made by people we’ve worked with,  we picked the top 20 (ish) which we think are reflective across the whole sector. Over the coming weeks, we'll be diving into each one to find out what's behind them - and more importantly, what can be done about them.

The goal: Practical solutions that work within current constraints.