The CIO: Portrait of Today, Landscape of Tomorrow
ECAR (the research area at Educause) has just published a new report on the ever-evolving role of the CIO. The CIO role in higher education continues to inspire, and sometimes perplex, those who examine it. ECAR studied information technology leaders in colleges and universities, examining the CIO role: past, present, and emergent. The report also integrates findings from the 2010 ECAR survey of IT staff and leadership, the EDUCAUSE Core Data Service, the EDUCAUSE Current Issues Survey, and interviews with sitting CIOs from research universities, liberal arts colleges, and community colleges.
You'll need an Educause login to download the report: The Higher Education CIO: Portrait of Today, Landscape of Tomorrow, 2011 Report. Below is a summary of the report's findings:
- 113 senior-most IT leaders plan to leave that position within 6 years; 420 individuals aspire to fill those roles.
- 36% of people aspiring to be a CIO have a mentor, and they are more satisfied with their development opportunities by a factor of 2 to 1 over those who do not.
- 100% of survey respondents rate communication skills as important for CIO success. 31% rate technical proficiency as important for CIO success.
- 45% of leaders responsible for their institution's primary IT organization have the title of "CIO"; 70% of primary IT leaders in doctoral institutions have that title.
- 80% of current CIOs have an advanced degree; 25% have a PhD, most commonly at doctoral institutions.
The study gathered quantitative and qualitative data from 3,400 IT professionals at 1,053 institutions of higher education.