Proposing an educational Business Intelligence model for university by using interpretive structuring modelling (Case of study: Ferdowsi University of Mashhad)

Higher education institutions have a huge amount of data in student domains, curriculum and human resources that contain useful information for planning and decision making. Universities can use such information to increase their competitive advantage through Business Intelligence systems. For these reasons, the present study attempts to investigate a model for the business intelligence of universities. To achieve the desired model, after studying and reviewing the literature, the effective components on the design of the model were identified and then the elements and components of business intelligence in the university based on the opinions of the educational expert panel were extracted. The proposed model includes five sections: registration management, student support, improvement of student's academic status, improving the content of the course, improving the teaching methodology and management of the graduates. After identifying the main elements of the proposed and conceptual model for the business intelligence of the university, by using the Structural Modeling Interpretative Method, the elements of the proposed conceptual model, a hierarchical model were obtained. Based on this hierarchical model, the graduate management has a high penetration power and is at the highest level, and the development of teaching skills and improvement of the content of the courses, have high and moderate influence and affiliation, but improvement of students’ education and enrollment is high and they are at the lowest level. These levels can be used to configure the university business intelligence system along with the components of each section.