“At the end of 2010, the shared data warehouse for higher education institutions will replace the currently used AMKOTA and KOTA data warehouses under the Ministry of Education, and already during 2011 we will gain concrete benefits from the project. This adds to the popularity of the project and the willingness of the different institutions to be involved”, Paturi continues.

From the sum level to details

At the moment higher education institutions are able to get hold of statistics only at the sum level, so their needs to get more detailed information are not met. The new data warehouse provides them with access to detailed information, and a possibility for reutilization of the data as part of institutional level management activities.

“Openly shared data enhances comparison between the different higher education institutions and planning the goal-setting for the institution’s focus areas. Additionally, comparison between universities and polytechnics becomes easier, too” says Paturi.

“Inter-communication has been challenging in this project: we have been forced to learn each others’ ways of working, and from time to time, even our vocabularies have been different. Cooperation has brought us onto the same map. Without doubt, the objectives of the data warehouse are worth striving for”, says Paturi.

Anneli Frantti
Photograph © Tommi Tuomi