Building Institutional Research Workforce in Postsecondary Education: Exploring Institutional Research Professionals' Conceptualizations of their Professional Identities

To provide insights into how institutions can scaffold institutional researchers' construction of strong professional identities, we employed a qualitative approach, rooted in the constructivist paradigm, which involved conducting semi-structured interviews with 11 IR professionals regarding how they conceptualized their professional identities. Using thematic analysis, we constructed two themes: (1) facets of institutional researchers' professional identities and their related tensions, and (2) suggestions for developing the next generation of IR professionals. Findings revealed that IR practitioners hold multiple identities and suggested that establishing clear career paths, improving job-design, and providing leadership support were viable ways to retain the current IR workforce. We highlight policy implications regarding the need for a balance between workforce empowerment and professional identities. We call on Taiwanese policymakers to introduce a holistic approach to successful institutional research, fostering a culture of quality within higher education institutions.