Working Groups

The REACH Working Groups bring together volunteers from across the research evaluation and analytics community to develop shared tools, best practices, and innovative approaches that strengthen the research enterprise. Each group focuses on a core area and collaborates to produce scalable solutions that advance data‑informed decision‑making and support a cohesive, community-driven research ecosystem. Their mission is to create industry-guided deliverables that build expertise, foster responsible evaluation practices, and empower institutions of all sizes to better navigate the evolving research landscape. 

Working Group Applications are being accepted through March 31, 2026.

REACH Working Group Charter

The AI in Research Data Analytics working group will explore how artificial intelligence can responsibly enhance research evaluation, strategic decision-making, and analytics capacity across institutions. This group will collaborate on practical applications, best practices, and ethical frameworks that advance data-informed research administration. Members will engage in knowledge sharing, pilot projects, and cross-institution dialogue to shape the future of research analytics. 

This working group will align best practices for data governance and warehousing as it relates to research services, administration, and research analytics. This will be accomplished through the development of shared frameworks, data definitions, and quality standards across a set of core datasets. Our priority is to streamline research analytics and institutional reporting while ensuring our data environments are structurally prepared for advanced modeling and future innovation. Data governance ensures that data is managed as a strategic asset, and data warehousing is essential. We aim to bridge the gap between technical systems and functional needs to create a more cohesive, data-informed research ecosystem that supports research services.  

The REACH Data Literacy Working Group will define data literacy in the research administration context and develop tools, guides, and best practices for the community. The group will create scalable resources that institutions of all types and sizes can adopt to enhance communication with stakeholders, increase efficiency, and support analytics expertise development. Key outcomes for the Working Group will be a shared language and a framework for approaching research analytics assignments. The Working Group will strengthen the research analytics community of practice and enable more effective implementation of analytics initiatives across higher education.