Today we’re sharing the successes and challenges the Digital team at the University of Exeter have experienced while working to develop a data-driven culture.
On 12 June 2025, Dan Isaac, Data Literacy & Training Lead at the University of Exeter delivered a talk to over 180 higher education planning and data professionals during the Higher Education Strategic Planners Association’s (HESPA) Showcasing Good Practice week. This blog post is based on Dan’s talk, sharing how the development of our Data Community is helping us to develop a data-driven culture.
Developing a Data-Driven Culture
In a world increasingly shaped by data, the real challenge isnât just technicalâitâs human.
Over recent years, the University of Exeter has seen some progress in developing a more data-driven culture. We have a well-established Business Intelligence (BI) function providing a central data service alongside the broad suite of reports that are available through the MI Hub. However, much of our data & reporting is still decentralised and siloed. As an institution, we lack consistent data management & governance practices, while data professionals are offered limited opportunities of training, development & knowledge sharing
From the users of our data and reporting, we l hear the same refrains:
âI didnât know these reports were available.â
âCan I trust these figures?â
âWhy is your data different to my spreadsheet.â
âCan you just send me the raw data?â
These arenât just technical problems. Theyâre cultural ones.
The Beginning of a Data Community
In September 2023, we launched something simple: a space for people who care about data to come together. We called it our Data Community.
It wasnât a grand strategy, it wasnât a top-down directive. It was a recognition that if we wanted to change how we work with data, we needed to start with people.
Since then, the community has grown to over 200 members. Weâve hosted quarterly gatherings, monthly âData Talks,â and even the occasional hackathon. Weâve created sub-groups, shared learning resources, and started conversations that wouldnât have happened otherwise.
What Weâve Learned
The most powerful thing about the Data Community isnât the tools or the training. Itâs the connections.
Weâve provided a platform for breaking down silos. Watched colleagues from different faculties discover shared challengesâand shared solutions. Weâve created a space where people can ask questions, offer support, and explore ideas without fear of ânot knowing enough.â
In short, weâve started to build a culture where data isnât just a technical assetâitâs a shared language.
But Itâs Not Easy
Sustaining a community takes energy. Not every initiative has landed. Our initial Data Champions programme struggled to gain traction. Our visualisation competition didnât quite take off. Engagement is uneven, and time is always in short supply.
And there are limits to what a community can do on its own. A truly data-driven culture also needs investment in governance, architecture, and leadership. It needs systems that supportânot stifleâcollaboration.
Whatâs Next for Our Data-Driven Culture?
Weâre not done. Far from it.
In Jul-2025, the University will be launching its new Data Strategy, and a new Data Team has been established within Digital to deliver this. Our Data Community will continue to develop as a core supporting pillar of this ongoing data transformation.
Weâre planning more training, more blogs/vlogs. Exploring mentoring schemes and data apprenticeships. Weâre building a new ‘Data Forums’ and a are looking to publish a quarterly âData Digest.â And weâre reaching outâto other universities, other sectors, other communities.
Because this isnât just about Exeter. Itâs about a broader shift in how we think about dataânot as a product, but as a practice. Not as a destination, but as a dialogue.
Final Thoughts
If thereâs one thing weâve learned, itâs this: the future of data isnât just about technology. Itâs about people. Itâs about curiosity, connection, and culture.
And thatâs something worth buildingâtogether.
The Data Community is open to all University of Exeter colleagues. For further information and to find out how to join, please visit our Data Community Sharepoint site.
– Written by Dan Isaac, Data Literacy & Training Lead, University of Exeter