The Southern African Association for Institutional Research (SAAIR) is a dynamic association with the vision of promoting institutional research, training and development and the exchange of information in the context of an effective institutional research unit in each institution of higher education. SAAIR was founded in 1994, and is affiliated to AIR (USA).

Institutional research (IR) has been defined in various ways, but typically refers to the cluster of activities that supports decision-making, policy analysis, quality management, effective management, projections and planning. Southern African institutions are increasingly recognising the need for IR in order to address the variety of policies regulating higher education, and many institutions are creating IR offices and employing IR officers, albeit using a variety of titles.

Our membership includes persons involved in IR, Management Information, Institutional Planning, Quality Assurance, HEMIS, Student Administration as well as academics.

SAAIR holds an annual forum, at which members can disseminate research, share best practice, and discuss issues relevant to the IR profession.

NMMU Port Elizabeth Campus The 2009 Forum will be hosted from 21- 23 September 2009 at the Nelson Mandela Metrapolitan University in Port Elizabeth. Further details to follow.   Nelson Mandela Bay

Other activities include IR and HEMIS institutes, first offered in 2004, as well as a research project aimed at standardising the way in which student retention is analysed and reported.

The following professional development opportunities are planned for 2009:

• Quality Institute: 11 – 12 Feb, 2009, hosted at Monash SA
• HEMIS Institute: 18 – 20 May, 2009, hosted at UKZN
• IR Institute: 19 – 21 Aug, 2009, hosted at University for the Free State
• Forum 2009: Sept 2009

Notice:
There is now an extensive help page  on the website. All users experiencing problems with the processes involved in registration, event bookings and abstract submissions should view  this page.

International development opportunities:

• Australasian Association for Institutional Research (AAIR)