1. 1 The Canadian G13: The Case of a Multi-University Data Exchange Lucie Durand G13DE Coordinator 30th Annual EAIR Conference Copenhagen August 24-27, 2008

2. Group of Thirteen Data Exchange (G13DE) Today’s presentation will focus on the… G13DE background G13DE background G13DE organization and structure G13DE organization and structure G13DE data items and projects G13DE data items and projects Divisional Costs Data – Examples of applicationDivisional Costs Data – Examples of application G13DE interim evaluation G13DE interim evaluation G13DE future direction G13DE future direction 2

3. G13DE Background Prior to the G13DE Prior to the G13DE Mandate Mandate Mean Mean Implementation process Implementation process 3

4. G13DE Organization & Structure Constitution Constitution Data Access Protocol Data Access Protocol Information Disclosure Protocol Information Disclosure Protocol Operations resources Operations resources Chair & Vice-Chair Chair & Vice-Chair Coordinator Coordinator Steering Committee Steering Committee Representatives Representatives Caretakers Caretakers Means of communications and actual data and information sharing Means of communications and actual data and information sharing 4

5. G13DE Data Items and Projects Data items and projects exchanged fall into 3 categories (apart from ad hoc projects) : Inaugural projects those that were assigned by the Executive Heads on the creation of the data exchange those that were assigned by the Executive Heads on the creation of the data exchange Foundation datasets data that all institutions submit to various government agencies or that are collected already by third parties data that all institutions submit to various government agencies or that are collected already by third parties Self-generated projects self-initiated projects taken on as the exchange has matured self-initiated projects taken on as the exchange has matured 5

6. G13DE Data Items and Projects Inaugural projects 1. Senior Administrative Salaries (Compensation Survey) 2. Presidents’ Fact Book 3. Divisional Costs Data 4. Graduate Time to Completion Foundation datasets 1. CAUBO Financial Data 2. Enrolment Data 3. Degrees Awarded Data 4. Faculty Data 5. ARL Data 6. AUTM Data 7. Space Data The G13DE database now has data on most of all these items/projects going back to 1999 Self-generated projects 1. Tuition and Fees 2. Clinical Faculty Proxy Count 3. CIP Coding (discipline cross- index) 4. Graduate Student Financial Support 5. Federal Granting Council Data (research data warehouse and web portal) 6. Bibliometrics 7. Graduate & Professional Student Survey (CGPSS) 8. National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) 9. CSRDE (undergraduate retention & degree completion) 6

7. Divisional Costs Data: Examples of Application Project Main Objective To have a tool for benchmarking and planning (no university had ever had such a tool prior to this one), characterizing the direction of the G13DE (then G10DE) → provide for micro-level analyses of individual departments (Note: “divisional” naming adopted to incorporate both departments and schools) To have a tool for benchmarking and planning (no university had ever had such a tool prior to this one), characterizing the direction of the G13DE (then G10DE) → provide for micro-level analyses of individual departments (Note: “divisional” naming adopted to incorporate both departments and schools) 7

8. Divisional Costs Data: Examples of Application Project Development (over a span of almost 6 years) Started with a pilot test of 6 departments (2000- 2001 data); Started with a pilot test of 6 departments (2000- 2001 data); Completed for 2002-2003 for 12 departments - set of 23 data elements; Completed for 2002-2003 for 12 departments - set of 23 data elements; The exercise was expanded to more departments → starting with 2003-2004, have been collecting on more than 30 departments, each year The exercise was expanded to more departments → starting with 2003-2004, have been collecting on more than 30 departments, each year 8

9. Divisional Costs Data: Examples of Application Project Benefits and Data Application (examples as shared by G13 institutions) It produces, in a consistent format across all G13 institutions, departmental-level summaries of: teaching activity, research output, enrolment, expenditures; It produces, in a consistent format across all G13 institutions, departmental-level summaries of: teaching activity, research output, enrolment, expenditures; It is immediately useful to an institution (data can be used with the knowledge they are reliable given the comprehensive data definition dictionary); It is immediately useful to an institution (data can be used with the knowledge they are reliable given the comprehensive data definition dictionary); It provides interinstitutional comparisons; It provides interinstitutional comparisons; 9

10. Divisional Costs Data: Examples of Application Results can be used to track internal departmental changes over time; Results can be used to track internal departmental changes over time; Useful for academic and program reviews; Useful for academic and program reviews; Useful for workload discussions; Useful for workload discussions; Useful for resource allocation; Useful for resource allocation; Use of these data prevents unnecessary questioning when having to redevelop a budget process; Use of these data prevents unnecessary questioning when having to redevelop a budget process; Use to explore different questions at the unit level (e.g. ratios of staff to teaching personnel and staff to student FTEs; ratio of graduate students to tenure/tenure track faculty, etc.) Use to explore different questions at the unit level (e.g. ratios of staff to teaching personnel and staff to student FTEs; ratio of graduate students to tenure/tenure track faculty, etc.) 10

11. G13DE Interim Evaluation After 7 years since its creation, a current account of the G13DE… creates a useful network for informal discussions; creates a useful network for informal discussions; collective work of IR offices can result in large savings (at data collection and analysis levels – methodological issues); collective work of IR offices can result in large savings (at data collection and analysis levels – methodological issues); dialogue and serious partnerships with important agencies – adds value (credibility/influence); dialogue and serious partnerships with important agencies – adds value (credibility/influence); rapid turnaround has been very successful on some data sets; rapid turnaround has been very successful on some data sets; improved definitions on some data sets (ongoing process); improved definitions on some data sets (ongoing process); 11

12. G13DE Interim Evaluation now occupies a central position in IR work, providing for reliable comparator data; now occupies a central position in IR work, providing for reliable comparator data; current need to consolidate projects into single analysis and/or to introduce the data/reports in a more formal manner to institutional strategic planning; current need to consolidate projects into single analysis and/or to introduce the data/reports in a more formal manner to institutional strategic planning; need to share on strategies enabling better information dissemination (internal and public) need to share on strategies enabling better information dissemination (internal and public) 12

13. G13DE Future Direction international collaboration possibilities have been explored with existing similar data exchange groups with positive feedback; international collaboration possibilities have been explored with existing similar data exchange groups with positive feedback; such collaborations could involve issues of common interests and of mutual benefits (e.g. quality comparisons (benchmarking), public policy context (research funding), best practices (methodologies), etc.); such collaborations could involve issues of common interests and of mutual benefits (e.g. quality comparisons (benchmarking), public policy context (research funding), best practices (methodologies), etc.); some constraints of course would need to be overcome (e.g. resources, legal aspects (international boundaries), privacy issues) though the G13DE remains very interested by such opportunities and plans on pursuing the exploration process at this level some constraints of course would need to be overcome (e.g. resources, legal aspects (international boundaries), privacy issues) though the G13DE remains very interested by such opportunities and plans on pursuing the exploration process at this level 13

14. As a final word… The process of creating a data exchange program involving multiple universities can be achieved with clear mandates and objectives; Some critical success factors are however to be considered in order to sustain it and making it viable: needless to say, institutions must be reasonably similar (e.g. G13 universities) for purposes of interinstitutional comparisons (peer based vs. issue oriented); needless to say, institutions must be reasonably similar (e.g. G13 universities) for purposes of interinstitutional comparisons (peer based vs. issue oriented); institutional support is mandatory from each member; institutional support is mandatory from each member; representation from each institution is crucial; representation from each institution is crucial; support from Executive Heads and senior administrators is unquestionable; support from Executive Heads and senior administrators is unquestionable; maximizing the communication amongst institutions is necessary as well as exercising full trust and judgement maximizing the communication amongst institutions is necessary as well as exercising full trust and judgement 14

15. 15 The G13 institutions are: University of Alberta University of British Columbia University of Calgary Dalhousie University Université Laval McGill University McMaster University Université de Montréal University of Ottawa Queen's University University of Toronto University of Waterloo University of Western Ontario

16. 16 Thank you! Any Questions? Lucie Durand G13DE Coordinator lucie.durand@mcgill.ca www.data-exchange.ca