The Role of Big Data Management and Analytics in Higher Education

Higher education institutions now a days are operating in an increasingly complex and competitive environment. The application of innovation is a must for sustaining its competitive advantage. Institution leaders are using data management and analytics to question the status quo and develop effective solutions. Achieving these insights and information requires not a single report from a single system, but rather the ability to access, share, and explore institution-wide data that can be transformed into meaningful insights at every level of the institution. Consequently, institutions are facing problems in providing necessary information technology support for fulfilling excellence in performance. More specifically, the best practices of big data management and analytics need to be considered within higher education institutions. Therefore, the study aimed at investigating big data and analytics, in terms of: (1) definition; (2) its most important principles; (3) models; and (4) benefits of its use to fulfill performance excellence in higher education institutions. This involves shedding light on big data and analytics models and the possibility of its use in higher education institutions, and exploring the effect of using big data and analytics in achieving performance excellence. To reach these objectives, the researcher employed a qualitative research methodology for collecting and analyzing data. The study concluded the most important result, that there is a significant relationship between big data and analytics and excellence of performance as big data management and analytics mainly aims at achieving tasks quickly with the least effort and cost. These positive results support the use of big data and analytics in institutions and improving knowledge in this field and providing a practical guide adaptable to the institution structure. This paper also identifies the role of big data and analytics in institutions of higher education worldwide and outlines the implementation challenges and opportunities in the education industry.