Finance Fundamentals for the IR Professional

Many institutional research (IR) offices feel less confident when analyses involve financial data. Yet understanding finance is essential for evaluating both the effectiveness and efficiency of institutional initiatives. This course kickstarts IR professionals' understanding of higher education finance, covering key terminology, cost accounting, accounting standards, how to read institutional financial statements, and how to use publicly available finance data sources like IPEDS. Participants will also learn how different users approach financial data for reporting and forecasting. By combining enrollment and finance insights, IR professionals can deliver more comprehensive, actionable analyses for institutional decision-making.

• Understand the terminology of finance, accounting, and budgeting, including cost accounting and accounting standards.
• Read and interpret an institution’s financial statement.
• Use the IPEDS Finance Survey to benchmark their institution.
• Recognize how finance and enrollment data can be combined to inform both retrospective and prospective analyses.

Registration Information

A recording of this webinar will be available for 30 days from the time of purchase.

Length/Time Commitment

2 Hours