Universities across the Commonwealth are under growing pressure to demonstrate progress on access, participation and inclusion. Yet many institutions continue to face challenges in measuring this progress in ways that are credible, comparable and actionable.

This webinar, delivered in partnership with Times Higher Education, will explore how data can be used as a powerful tool to inform equity strategies, strengthen institutional decision-making, and support system-level change.

Drawing on THE’s global dataset from the SDG Impact Ratings, covering over 1,600 universities worldwide, the session will present new insights into how universities are performing on equity-related indicators across Commonwealth regions. Alongside this, speakers will share practical experiences of how institutions are collecting, interpreting and using data to drive meaningful change.

Why attend?

This session is particularly relevant for HE institutions seeking to:

Better understand how to measure and demonstrate progress on inclusion
Learn how to use data as a strategic lever to inform policy and institutional action
Explore comparative insights across Commonwealth regions
Identify practical approaches to data collection, including in resource-constrained contexts
Translate evidence into actionable equity strategies

The webinar responds directly to priorities identified by the ACU Higher Education Taskforce Access & Inclusion Working Group, which highlighted the critical role of data systems in enabling more effective, accountable and scalable approaches to equity.

What will the session cover?

Key findings from THE’s SDG Impact Ratings, with a focus on equity-related indicators across Commonwealth universities
Reflections on what the data tells us – and what it doesn’t
Challenges and opportunities in capturing, interpreting and using equity data
Case studies from ACU member institutions demonstrating how data is being used to:

identify access and participation gaps
inform institutional strategy and leadership decisions
support more inclusive student outcomes

Discussion on how universities and systems can move from measurement to action

Who should attend?

This webinar is designed for university leaders, policymakers, researchers and practitioners working across:

access and participation
equality, diversity and inclusion
institutional planning and strategy
data and performance systems
policy and research

About the partnership

This event brings together ACU’s global university network and policy expertise with THE’s extensive international data and insights. As a key strategic partner, ACU is working with THE to ensure that global datasets are translated into meaningful, context-sensitive insights for Commonwealth institutions.

Join the conversation

As universities continue to navigate complex equity challenges, this session will provide a valuable opportunity to learn from peers, explore new evidence, and consider how data can be used more effectively to drive inclusive change across diverse contexts.