Meet Togamau Te’o, the new head of Business Intelligence and Analytics. He recently took some time to talk to Pulse about his priorities for the unit.

Tell us a little about yourself 

My name is Togamau, but most people call me Mau. I’m from Toowoomba in Queensland – that’s where my wife and four children live. I consider myself a technologist and analyst first and foremost, and a project management practitioner. I specialise in architecting and managing data and analytics ecosystems that deliver data- and technology-enabled transformation programs for universities, so they can maximise the value of their data and analytics assets. For most of my 20-year higher education working life, I’ve been in planning and strategy, distance education, technology and data, or business intelligence. I’ve managed internal and government reporting, load planning, institutional planning, student evaluation and surveys, organisational review and performance, risk management, data warehousing and BI.

What interested you in the role of Head, Business Intelligence at UNE? 

I’ve seen many changes and disruptions in Higher Ed data and analytics brought about by digital transformation  which has accelerated in the past decade. We know this has led to paradigm shifts that impact our business. We’re seeing metaverses, augmented reality, decision intelligence, and AI (artificial intelligence) transforming our operations and our workplaces. The dependencies on data and analytics has become critical in getting a competitive advantage, and in improving student learning experiences. I see opportunities for us in implementing the FSBI (Finance, Strategy & Business Intelligence) vision for UNE to have an integrated and effective planning, finance, and performance management framework. The BI and Analytics Unit has a significant role to play in achieving that vision and therefore achieving the broader vision of UNE stipulated in the Future Fit which is “improve the lives of the communities it serves”. 

How would you describe your management style? 

Transformative, innovative and collaborative. I strive to build a culture of service excellence and continuous improvement. My expectation of the teams I lead is that they are high-performing and that they maintain a level of excellence required for continuous improvement.

What are your top three priorities for BI? 

  • Modernising our data environment to make good use of current and emerging technologies for the timely and sustainable delivery of data and analytics, for evidence-based decision making at all levels of the University;
  • Establishing a data strategy and data literacy framework (and associated program of work) across the institution to ensure the meaning and interpretation of our data and analytics are understood in a consistent manner, and thereby gain the trust of our people in data as a single source of truth;
  • Transforming our load-planning process to be transparent, progressive, and collaborative, and to effectively integrate with institutional planning, learning and teaching activities, marketing and branding strategies, student experience and support, and the budgeting process.

What are your favourite things to do when you are away from the office? 

I enjoy small-scale landscaping – I’m currently growing a small espalier fruit orchard at my home in Toowoomba. I also enjoy repairing small engines, rugby, and spending time with my family.