The EduData Summit series explores how higher education can meaningfully use data to drive innovation for global benefit. Looking at student and institution needs, the 2020 online series will bring together policy experts, data scientists, CIOs and other dataheads to showcase best practice in the field and help steer strategies in higher education on sustainability.
As environmental imperatives become central to operations in many sectors, universities, as institutions engaged with the leaders of tomorrow, are well placed to lead the way for an environmentally sustainable future. Over four weeks, the 2020 EDS Series will look at how institutions can achieve those goals through data, as well as preview the results of the 2021 QS World University Rankings, provide performance insight sessions and host the inaugural QS Hackathon, Higher Ed Analytics: Using R to explore global trends.
Past Events
25th June 2020
Introduction
The EduData Summit brings together educators from all over the world to discuss best practices in data-driven decision making for operational and strategic initiatives on campus. Conference attendees from years past have reporting varying levels of data analytic skillsets and many have expressed interesting in moving beyond spreadsheets and into data science software such as R and Python.
This June we will convene virtually on June 25 to run a workshop for those wanting to learn the basics of programming in R through the applied exploration of global higher education datasets. Attendees will be provided with a cloud-based learning environment where they will be able to access the required statistical packages along with relevant datasets and code examples.
We hope that you are able to join us to code, play with new datasets, and build analytical skills that are increasingly valuable for people and organizations today.
Time: 6am California / 2pm London / 9pm Singapore
Duration: 120 minutes
Our Speaker

Alex Chisholm
Head of Analytics
QS Quacquarelli Symonds View Bio
Agenda
Workshop introduction (10 minutes)
Alex Chisholm, Head of Analytics, QS Quacquarelli Symonds
Cover the benefits of moving from spreadsheets into R and provide examples of how universities are leveraging more advanced analytics.
The basics of programming in R (60 minutes)
Introduce R through a cloud version of RStudio in which we’ll define the core fundamentals of coding. Begin with simple exploratory data analysis with the help of packages from the tidyverse before turning to basic modeling.
Short break (5 minutes)
Higher education information sources (30 minutes)
Using the fundamentals from the previous section, we’ll identify and explore several robust data resources related to higher education.
Wrap up, next steps, and resources (15 minutes)
Recap what we have learned and point to further techniques to accelerate getting more done with available data.
Successful delegates in completing both of the above modules will receive a ‘QS Analytics Level 1 Data Certificate’
1-2-1 Rankings Performance Consultations
Description
With the release of the World University Rankings 2021, the in-house QS Consulting team are offering a limited number of 1-2-1 consultations to discuss your institution’s rankings performance and Fact File. The consultations will be hosted online and are designed to help you gain a better understanding of the data provided in your Fact File as well as to provide access to the consulting team’s exclusive data. Booking a consultation will also gain you entry to the Higher Ed Analytics: Using R to explore global trends Workshop held on Thursday 25 June by Alex Chisholm. Further information about the workshops can be found here.
Additional Information
Additional information: The sessions will last for 45-60 minutes and a recording of it will be sent to you after the meeting. 3 to 5 people from your institution may attend a consultation session with a member of the Consulting team. The consultations details will be advised shortly but sessions are limited and will be arranged, at a convenient time, when a booking is made.
16th June 2020
Introduction
Following the release of the QS World University Rankings 2021, QS’ Consulting team are hosting a Performance Insight Session to share their knowledge and expertise of the rankings. As part of the Performance Insight Session, University of Technology Sydney (UTS) Vice-Chancellor Attila Brungs will share his university’s ranking journey The Performance Insight Session will begin with a keynote speech from. Insight sessions are aimed at institutions at different levels in the rankings.
Time: 1am California / 9am London / 4pm Singapore
Duration: 90 minutes
Agenda
Moderator:
Anton John Crace, Editor and Program Designer, QS Quacquarelli Symonds
Opening remarks and welcome address (10 minutes)
David Reggio, Global Head of Consulting, QS Quacquarelli Symonds
Keynote Speech
Attila Brungs, Vice-Chancellor at University of Technology Sydney (UTS)
Workshop 1:
Looking beyond data – what can institutions do next?
Workshop 2:
The importance of robust organizational systems and the impact it can have on your ranking
Workshop 3:
Understanding the data you need to plan for the future
Workshop Overview
Workshop 1: Looking beyond data – what can institutions do next?
David Reggio, Global Head of Consulting
Shadi Hijazi, Senior Consultant
Overview: Institutions ranked in the Top 200, tend to have good internal processes and structures in place to support strategic planning, but we need to ask ourselves – what next? This masterclass will look beyond the data, into market leadership giving examples of how megatrends can serve your institutional brand.
Benchmarking vision: The future of research
Adrian Mulligan, Research Director for Customer Insights, Elsevier
Workshop 2: The importance of robust organisational systems and the impact it can have on your ranking
Jacques de Champchesnel, Senior Consultant
Overview: Designed for institutions within the 201-500 range of the rankings, this masterclass will delve deeper into the importance of your internal structure in strategic planning. We will explore how institutional practices can affect data and market perceptions/reputation and why robust organisational systems and process are crucial in strategic planning.
Workshop 3: Understanding the data you need to plan for the future
Kesh Patel, Consultant
Eimi Satoh, Consultant
Overview: This masterclass is specifically designed for institutions ranked in the 501+ range of the rankings. In this session, we will look at the data you need to collect, how to collect it, the importance of assessing the data and how institutions can coordinate internal teams to plan for the future.
Our Speakers

Attila Brungs
Vice-Chancellor
University of Technology Sydney

Adrian Mulligan
Research Director for Customer Insights
Elsevier

David Reggio, FRSA
Global Head of Consulting
QS Quacquarelli Symonds

Shadi Hijazi
Senior Consultant
QS Quacquarelli Symonds

Jacques de Champchesnel
Senior Consultant
QS Quacquarelli Symonds

Kesh Patel
Consultant
QS Quacquarelli Symonds

Eimi Satoh
Consultant
QS Quacquarelli Symonds
1-2-1 Rankings Performance Consultations
Description
With the release of the World University Rankings 2021, the in-house QS Consulting team are offering a limited number of 1-2-1 consultations to discuss your institution’s rankings performance and Fact File. The consultations will be hosted online and are designed to help you gain a better understanding of the data provided in your Fact File as well as to provide access to the consulting team’s exclusive data. Booking a consultation will also gain you entry to the Rankings Workshops held on Tuesday 16 June by the Consulting team.
Additional Information
The sessions will last for 45-60 minutes and a recording of it will be sent to you after the meeting. 3 people from your institution may attend a consultation session with a member of the Consulting team. The consultations will begin from Wednesday 17 June but sessions are limited and will be arranged, at a convenient time, when a booking is made.
9th June 2020
Introduction
Find out the latest QS World University Rankings and get insights into how higher education has changed at the start of the decade. The session will preview the 2021 QS World University Rankings a day before their official release.
PowerPoint Slides
World University Rankings Preview
Leigh Kamolins Head of Evaluation, QS Quacquarelli Symonds |
|
Andrew MacFarlane Rankings Manager, QS Quacquarelli Symonds |
Equity: The Future of Research
Bamini Jayabalasingham Senior Analytical Product Manager, Elsevier |
Our Speakers

Senior Vice President (QS) and Managing Director (QSIU)
QS Quacquarelli Symonds View Bio

Head of Evaluation
QS Quacquarelli Symonds View Bio

Rankings Manager
QS Quacquarelli Symonds View Bio

Senior Analytical Product Manager
Elsevier View Bio
3rd June 2020
Introduction
EduData Summit (EDS) is the world’s premium forum for data-driven educators – a platform for strategists, data scientists, CIOs and other dataheads to discuss and share best practices at the intersection of big data, predictive analytics, learning analytics, and education.
Our Speakers

Márcia Balisciano
Global Head of Corporate Responsibility
RELX

Sarah E. Toms
Executive Director and Cofounder
Wharton Interactive

Dawn Freshwater
Vice-Chancellor
University of Auckland

Jason Newman
Vice President QS Intelligence Unit, EduData Director
QS Quacquarelli Symonds

Jonathan Grant
Vice President & Vice Principal (Service)
King’s College London

Robert Kirkpatrick Director
United Nations Global Pulse, Executive Office of the Secretary-General

Paul Thurman
Professor of Management and Analytics
Columbia University

Ben Sowter
Senior Vice President (QS) and Managing Director (QSIU)
QS Quacquarelli Symonds