Career and community: articles for IR teams
Learning institutional research, telling the story behind the numbers, conferences, reading lists, and where IR people find peers.
Clema reading index: every IR guide, whitepaper, and walkthrough in one place
The Clema reading index: every Clema guide, research paper, IR benchmark, conference list, podcast, book, and definitional framework, grouped by what you need it for. Updated as new pieces ship.
Clema Research Team · 3 mins readHow to learn institutional research: certificates, courses, and free training
A directory of 25 ways to learn institutional research: graduate certificates, AIR professional development, free IPEDS and PDP training, executive programs, and self-paced courses, with formats, costs, and links.
Clema Research Team · 12 mins readData storytelling for institutional research: turning numbers into narratives
Data storytelling for IR teams: how to finish the sentence on a number, segment your audience by power and fluency, start with why, and use real federal datasets to turn institutional data into advocacy that drives decisions.
Wilson Bright · 10 mins readIR conferences in 2026: where institutional researchers should go
A guide to the 14 conferences IR professionals should consider in 2026, from AIR Forum to regional and data-focused events, with 2027 dates where they have been announced.
Wilson Bright · 13 mins readIR newsletters and listservs: what IR professionals read and where they find community
The IR newsletters and listservs that came up across 50+ interviews with IR professionals: what they read, the communities they trust, and where peer-to-peer learning happens.
Wilson Bright · 8 mins readIR podcasts and books: what IR professionals listen to and learn from
Part 2 of our resource guide: the podcasts IR pros listen to on their commute, the books on their desk, and the training programs they recommend.
Wilson Bright · 10 mins read