Invitation To Attend
On behalf of the Australasian Association for Institutional Research (AAIR) Forum Organising Committee may I extend a warm invitation to you to participate in the 20th Annual AAIR Forum which is to be held at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, Geelong, Victoria from 10 -12 November 2010.
2010’s theme “Has institutional research come of age in Australasia?” will have a focus on strategic priorities in the higher education sector and include sub-streams focusing on:
- the equity agenda in higher education, 2010 and beyond;
- supporting models for academic standards;
- improving participation and retention of students;
- improving TAFE pathways and partnerships.
The 2010 Forum occurs in a year during which details of the higher education reform agenda in Australia begins to take shape. It will be a year of ongoing discussions at all levels about mission-based compacts, performance funding and a standards-based approach to quality. Appropriate measures of institutional performance will be central to these discussions and will bring into focus the importance of the work undertaken by institutional researchers in collecting, analysing and interpreting information. The Forum themes have been selected to encourage discussion of issues that are both central to the reform agenda and will impact on a wide range of professionals involved in higher education. As well as considering the local situation, members will be invited to consider how the Australian experience fits globally and to explore what we can learn from others in our region.
The theme of this year’s Forum also invites discussion about the maturity of institutional research in our region. For those long standing AAIR members this will provide an opportunity to consider the changes that have occurred over time and to assess how far institutional research has come. It might also provide an opportunity to re-learn some of the lessons for surviving and prospering in times of government led reform. As well as encouraging reflection, this theme is intended to encourage participants to showcase examples of current day “best practice” and to consider likely developments for the future.
As has been the case in the past, concurrent sessions will provide a variety of subject matter that is likely to be of interest to current and future AAIR members. Special interest groups will also be encouraged to use the Forum as an opportunity to convene and to focus on issues relevant to their constituents. The Forum will provide a unique opportunity for you to share your experiences with colleagues.
I encourage you to consider presenting at the Forum and to take the opportunity to contribute to the sectors’ institutional research and your own institutions’ understanding of the higher education reform agenda.
The 2010 Forum will be hosted by Deakin University from its Geelong Waterfront Campus. The Geelong waterfront provides a beautiful backdrop to the forum program which will ensure you have the opportunity to network professionally and socially with a range of people from across the sector.
I look forward to seeing you in Geelong in 2010.
Mandy Schultz
Chair, AAIR 2010 Forum Organising Committee
