The Development of an IR Database

Issues and Challenges Facing Japanese Universities

Abstract

　 Japanese universities are required to produce evidence to show that they are managing themselves efficiently and helping students to achieve successful. With a view to satisfying these demands, there is a growing need for data collection and analysis. It is against this background that this research, aimed at increasing understanding of the roles of IR in U.S. institutions, has been conducted.

　 In general, the primary functions of IR offices in U.S. universities include collecting, integrating, and analyzing internal and external data to support institutional decision-making, planning, and policy development. They use an integrated database system to carry out these responsibilities.

　 On the other hand, most Japanese universities do not have such a database system. The data are stored and managed on a decentralized basis. It is also the case that some parts of the data cannot be accessed by IR offices. In addition, the nation-wide database that is called “University Info” has been collecting data since 2015, but still lacks a clear definition of the underlying rationale, making it difficult to develop an IR database in individual institutions.

　 This paper points out the issues and challenges to be addressed when introducing a university-wide database that IR offices can utilize. Concrete steps to develop the database that are discussed include setting goals, creating a data catalog, selecting technologies for data integration and visualization. Drawing up rules and regulations related to data management is important, and close communication between IR offices and others is seen as essential.