Data Management

Instructure, Internet2 Launch New Data Governance Advisory Council

• By Rhea Kelly
• 05/22/24

Learning platform Instructure is working with Internet2 to address the data management and archiving needs of higher education institutions through the formation of a new Data Governance Advisory Council. The group will bring together members from Instructure and Internet2 and representatives from various education institutions to recommend data retention, security, and governance standards and best practices, according to a news announcement. It will also seek solutions to common data-related challenges, including managing large amounts of data and addressing student privacy concerns.

In addition, the council will engage in research to support the ed tech industry by testing concepts, approaches, and solutions for education data retention. Members will "help shape and evaluate emerging solutions, provide feedback on product strategy, and help guide future plans for data governance solutions," the announcement said.

"This is an important area of focus for Instructure, as institutions need clear guidance on how to address the ever-expanding student data in their care," said Melissa Loble, chief academic officer at Instructure, in a statement. "By implementing a data-retention strategy aligned with best practices, they can better protect students and improve performance and operational efficiency."

"In our data-driven world, research and higher education institutions must both protect sensitive information and enable the use of data to advance teaching, enhance learning and the student experience, and accelerate research," commented Sean O'Brien, associate vice president for NET+ Cloud Services at Internet2. "A committee focused on these critical issues surrounding data governance is essential for building community-scale solutions with Internet2 industry members like Instructure."

Research findings from the council will be shared in a forthcoming playbook of advice and best practices.