Expanding UCF’s Research Data Strategy: Researcher Centric Reporting Tools & RDW Modernization
January 9, 2026
The University of Central Florida (UCF) is advancing its data and analytics ecosystem with the modernization of their Research Data Warehouse (RDW). Midtown Consulting Group (MCG) has been selected to rapidly migrate RDW to the Microsoft Azure and Fabric ecosystem in order to transform research project reporting to a more streamlined and interactive experience for faculty, research administrators and University staff.
These new Researcher Centric Reporting Tools represent another critical step in UCF’s Knight Vision program investment by modernizing the RDW analytics solution and integrating it to the Data Analytics and Reporting Ecosystem [https://analytics.ucf.edu/enterprise-analytics/dare/] (DARE) data lake house as a major source for research operations and analytics data. This initiative will not only modernize UCF’s research data infrastructure but also enable cost reductions, greater visibility into research financials, and deeper insights into future funding opportunities.
Integrating Research Data Across University Operations
Research administration originates or resides in nearly every operational function within a university. Whether HR for personnel management, payroll for salaries and wages, expenses for lab supplies and contracts, facilities for tracking research space, or the finance team tracking grant expenditures, research data is ubiquitous across many of the core business functions. Therefore, without a centralized system institutions risk data fragmentation, inconsistent reporting, compliance risks and operational inefficiencies.
By leveraging the DARE data lake house, the future state Researcher Centric Reporting Tools will create a shared, cohesive environment that integrates research data across the institution. This ensures consistent financial reporting, better visibility and interaction with key metrics, and reduced manual data reconciliation efforts.
As seen in the image below, UCF researchers are supported through all stages of the research lifecycle, reinforcing the need for a unified reporting model that simplifies access to information important to both researchers and administrators. Read more about the UCF research lifecycle here.
Enhancing RDW: The Role of Researcher-Centric Reporting Tools
Higher education institutions face growing scrutiny into research funding and student aid. To remain competitive and ensure continued funding, universities need strong financial oversight, data-driven grant management, and efficient reporting tools.
The New Research Centric Reporting Tools will provide UCF with:
- Reduced Operational Costs – By leveraging the DARE platform, the new Researcher-Centric Reporting Tools will eliminate redundant data capture processes, simplify data management, and expand automated source data to improve reporting capabilities.
- Enhanced Research Funding Insights – The system will provide analytics on research trends, funding success rates, and institutional research strengths, helping UCF better position itself for competitive grants and external funding.
- Increased Transparency in Research Operations – The platform will offer a centralized view of pre-award, post-award and compliance-related data, ensuring that administrators, faculty, and leadership have accurate and actionable data for strategic decision-making.
Phase 1: Modernizing UCF’s Research Data Environment
The first phase of the project focuses on modernizing UCF’s existing research data warehouse and transitioning it to a scalable Microsoft Azure and Fabric framework, aligning with DARE’s architecture and improving reports.
This phase will provide UCF with an immediate operational improvement by reducing the administrative burden of gathering and coalescing inputs to the research financial reporting while strengthening the foundation for long-term analytics and AI-driven insights.
Additionally, this integration with DARE and the Knight Vision framework ensures that research data is not siloed but fully connected across administrative functions. By utilizing a single, standardized environment, UCF can reduce confusion and inconsistencies in reporting and improve visibility into compliance efforts establishing new research funding and tracking expenditures. Strategically, deploying Researcher Centric Reporting Tools is a key effort in UCF’s data-driven strategy, aligning with existing analytics infrastructure and governance models.
For a broader look at how this initiative fits within UCF’s Enterprise Analytics Strategy, visit UCF Enterprise Analytics.
Phase 2: The Future of Research Data Analytics
As the project progresses, UCF is exploring opportunities to expand its research analytics capabilities and further optimize grant forecasting and financial planning. In Phase 2, the University will focus on enhancing research insights, increasing accessibility of funding and expenditure data, streamlining reporting for researchers and admins, and aligning reporting with institutional and departmental priorities.
This phase will expand the Research data semantic layer, reporting and automation in Fabric to streamline processes and unify metrics across the Research community. During Phase 2, Microsoft’s robust suite of AI-enhanced products will be leveraged to create predictive analytics to forecast key metrics such as grant success rates, assess performance in areas of strength, and identify opportunities for growth in underrepresented research areas. UCF may also incorporate external sponsor funding data to improve long-term proposal strategies. By integrating research funding insights with institutional decision-making models, UCF can more effectively align research investments with high-impact funding areas.
While Phase 1 modernizes the research data estate, Phase 2 will focus on ensuring that UCF maximizes the value of its research funding through data-driven insights and automation.
Looking Ahead: Strengthening Research Through Data-Driven Insights
As higher education institutions navigate financial uncertainties, the ability to maximize research funding and optimize financial oversight will be a critical competitive advantage. The Research Administration team is positioning itself to:
- Streamline research administration reporting and reduce operational costs.
- Leverage data insights to secure and manage external research funding.
- Strategize for future growth amid changing federal funding landscapes.
MCG is proud to continue supporting UCF’s vision for research-driven data excellence. As the Researcher Centric Reporting Tools project progresses, our team will help UCF expand its data analytics capabilities, enhance funding strategy, and further integrate AI-driven financial insights.