Federated, Not Fragmented: The University of Illinois System’s Collaborative Data Strategy

Wednesday, October 29, 2025 | 4:00PM–4:45PM CT | Meeting Room 101 E, Level 1
Session Type: Breakout Session
Delivery Format: Presentation/Panel Session
In today's rapidly evolving higher education landscape, the ability to harness and strategically manage data has become a pivotal factor in driving institutional success and mitigating enterprise risks. Join us as we unveil the transformative journey of the University of Illinois System's yearlong Systemwide Data Strategy Task Force initiative where diverse stakeholders collaborated to turn data into a powerful strategic asset. We will show how we built trust in the process and increased collaboration among data-interested groups across universities in the System. We assessed our current data environment, identified six essential strategic goals, and developed actionable implementation recommendations to transform our institutional data into a strategic asset. Our program includes goals such as establishing federated governance, optimizing student success, expanding data literacy, ensuring data privacy and security, and enhancing data quality management and usability across the System. These goals were developed through peer System conversations, focus groups, and cross-functional task force subgroups. Attendees will gain practical insights into developing a comprehensive data strategy that balances centralized and decentralized approaches, integrates privacy considerations from the beginning, and serves as a hub to strengthen System collaboration.    

Presenters

  • Kelly Block

    Sr. Associate VP and CIO, University of Illinois Central Administration

  • Susan Featherston

    Senior Strategic Consultant, Vantage Technology Consulting Group

  • Matt Riley

    Chief Information Officer, University of Illinois Chicago

  • Dimuthu Tilakaratne

    Assistant Vice President of Decision Support, University of Illinois Central Administration