Franco, TiagoAlves, PauloRufino, JoséPacheco, Maria F.Ribeiro, Nuno A.2026-05-082026-05-082025Franco, Tiago; Alves, Paulo; Rufino, José; Pacheco, Maria F.; Ribeiro, Nuno A. (2026). Insights from a five-year academic analytics observatory: challenges and achievements. In SIIE 2025 - 27th International Symposium of Education on Computers in Education. IEEE. p. 1-7. ISBN 979-833156257-1979-833156257-1http://hdl.handle.net/10198/36597This paper presents a five-year case study of the development and operation of the Academic Success Observatory, an institutional platform designed to support data-driven academic management in higher education. The system combines automated data extraction modules, interactive dashboards, and a machine learning-based dropout prediction model. Drawing from three institutional databases, updated weekly, the platform enables continuous monitoring of academic indicators, report generation, and targeted support actions. The article discusses key technical and institutional challenges faced, as well as the benefits of integrating the platform into the academic decisionmaking process. The results highlight the system’s potential to enhance decision-making, enable faster interventions, and foster a data-informed institutional culture.engAcademic analyticsLearning analyticsDropout predictionEducational dashboardsHigher educationconference paper10.1109/siie68580.2025.11368366