10 Most Prominent Analytics and Data Science Institutes 2021

ISSN 2582-127X

1 AUGU 202 ST T S

21 20

AUG U Data Science: Four Pre-course Actions Required to Kickstart Career in a Data-centric World

MOST PROMINENT

ANALYTICS AND

DATA SCIENCE INSTITUTES 2021

Asian Institute Of Management

Data Science and Data Engineering Can Benefit Both Companies and Employees

Dr. Jikyeong Kang President & Dean

EDITORIAL Data Science is Here to Spearhead Organizations Through Tough Competition

Apoorva Komarraju -

Senior Analyst

D

ata science, as a field, started getting recognition in the early 2000s. But it took an entire pandemic to create the demand it now has. Organizations that were reluctant to embrace digital transformation and use modern technologies like data science are accelerating the rate at which they are adopting this analytical technology. It won't be wrong to say that every business across industries, be it manufacturing, automobile, retail, and pharmaceutical, are leveraging the capabilities of data science to get a competitive edge. This increasing demand is resulting in a flood of data science jobs.

To those who have some knowledge about this field, they are familiar with the fact that data science professionals are of utmost importance to organizations. Data engineers, data analysts, and data scientists are the roles that are flooding job portals. As technology develops with every year, the skills required for data science professionals also vary with time and advancements. For future generations who are going to be a part of dynamic workforces, keeping up with the latest tech trends, in this case data science, is crucial.

From an organization's point of view, data science brings many advantages to the table.

Firstly, it helps businesses make better decisions using data-driven approaches. It's a data professionals responsibility to be the trusted advisor to the organization's top management and present the necessary data and metrics that will help the teams make informed decisions. Not only that, data science capabilities will also help businesses predict favorable outcomes and forecast potential growth opportunities.

At the end of the day, the main goal of any organization is to earn profits. A data scientist puts his/her skills to use to explore the available data, analyze what business processes work and don't, and prescribe strategies that will improve overall performance, customer engagement, and result in greater ROI. A data professional will also help employees to understand their tasks, improve on them, and help teams devote their efforts to tasks that will make a substantial difference.

For every company that involves itself with products and services, it is crucial for the company to ensure their solutions reach the right audience. Instead of relying on assumptions, data science helps companies identify the right target audience. With a thorough analysis of the company's data sources and in-depth knowledge about the company and its goals, data science skills assist teams in targeting the right audience and refine existing strategies for better sales. A data professional's knowledge about the dynamic market through data analysis can also help in product innovation.

Before everything else, efficient and skilled employees make or break an organization.

Data scientists also help recruiters in sourcing the right profiles from the available talent.

Through social media, corporate databases and job portals, data professionals should possess the skills to sieve through the data points and identify the right candidate for the right roles.

With these advantages and many more, data science is an invaluable asset for organizations. Hence, this field is a lucrative career option that the future generation must prepare for, if they want to make their place in the tech industry. In this magazine edition, Analytics Insight is putting a spotlight on the most prominent analytics and data science institutes that are guiding young tech leaders with the right skills to ace the field of data science. With digital transformation becoming an essential part of every established and upcoming business, the demand for data science professionals is only going to grow.

Credits Ashish Sukhadeve

Adilin Beatrice

Apoorva Komarraju

Priya Dialani

Editor-in-Chief

Senior Analyst

Senior Analyst

Senior Editor

Disha Sinha

Satavisa Pati

Sayantani Sanyal

Aratrika Dutta

Content Analyst

Content Analyst

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Content Analyst

Shivani Muthyala

Nikita Das

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Dharmendar Passi

Content Analyst

Marke ng Manager

Research Analyst

Sales Manager

Kushagra Gupta

Anusha Polneni

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Marke ng Analyst

SEO Analyst

Web Developer

Crea ve Head

August 2021

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ARTICLES

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Data Science: Four Pre-course Actions Required to Kickstart Career in a Data-centric World

Cover Story

Asian Institute of Management

70 Data Science and Data Engineering Can Benefit Both Companies and Employees

26

20

Ambeone

Cape Breton University

42

Florida Polytechnic University

62

Meharry Medical College

34

Coding Dojo

48

IIITB

56

Learnbay

72

Miami Herbert Business School

78

Skillslash Academy

08

Dr. Jikyeong President & Dean

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Passing the Baton of Data Science Knowledge & Skills to Future Generations

D

ata science, AI, and Business intelligence are some of the modern

technologies that echo throughout the world. Thanks to digital

transformation, the business world is embracing disruptive technologies

and the rest of them gearing up to meet the demands of the tech industry. To keep the momentum going, the future of our society needs to be equipped with the right skills to become future leaders. Be it a future innovator or a future tech entrepreneur, the way our future generation grows up will affect their technical intellect.

To nurture their talents in the right way, The Asian Institute of Management offers courses that inspire and transform the lives of its students, preparing them to take charge of the world. Pioneering tech education in Asia, AIM is synonymous with a multicultural learning environment that strikes a balance between real-world exposure and necessary tech knowledge. To know more about its insightful set of courses in the field of artificial intelligence and big data, we interviewed two of the esteemed members of the institute, Dr. Jikyeong Kang and Dr. Erika Legara.

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Marking its Name as a Synonym for Excellence

The Asian Institute of Management is an Asian pioneer in management education. The founding of the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) in 1968 was the result of an unprecedented cooperative effort between two leading educational institutions in the Philippines, namely the Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University. A group of Harvard Business School Advisory Board and Philippine business leaders, and initial funding from the Ford Foundation, USAID, and the Lopez and Ayala families also lent support to start the university. With combined efforts, they made possible the dream of establishing the best business management school outside of the USA, and certainly, with a standard of excellence unmatched in all of Asia. To date, more than 45,000 alumni from 79 countries have passed the Institute's hallowed halls and made their mark in businesses, governments, and societies.

The Asian Institute of Management has also contributed remarkably to sustain the growth of businesses and societies in the region by developing professional, entrepreneurial, and socially responsible managers and leaders. Throughout its history, the Institute has sought to empower students to thrive in challenging and rapidly shifting environments.

AIM's Master of Science in Data Science (MSDS) program, which is one of the four programs housed in the AIM's Aboitiz School of Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship (ASITE), is the Institute's response to the demand for one of the fastest-growing and most sought-after specializations worldwide—Data Science, which is also considered by many enterprises as a strategic capability that allows them to compete on analytics globally.

Combining the Best of Data Science and Business Courses

The Asian Institute of Management's Master of Science in Data Science (MSDS) is a truly unique pioneering program designed primarily with two things in mind, the students, who will eventually become data science practitioners and leaders, and the institutions (i.e., enterprises, governments, and international organizations) that its graduates will work for. The program was conceived based on the fact that there is a big gap between business and technology when translating data science models and products into actionable insights that can help decision-makers and leaders reach their strategic imperatives.

With these two fundamental aspects in mind, the program exhibits a proper fusion of the technical aspects of data science and advanced analytics with general business and management courses. Thus, MSDS' curriculum addresses many critical pain points of enterprises. Most critically, it attempts to address the lack of technically skilled individuals who possess the required level of communication, leadership, and 11

“ “Dr. Jikyeong Kang, “I knew that Data Science was the perfect addition to our program portfolio at AIM. Our world-class business, development, entrepreneurship, innovation, and disaster risk management programs provide the perfect ecosystem to offer a data science program unlike any other.”

- Dr. Jikyeong Kang President & Dean Asian Institute of Management

www.aim.edu

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management skills to help businesses and organizations make informed decisions.

The MSDS curriculum is rigorous and relevant. It concentrates on the latest techniques, models, and technologies used in the field of advanced analytics. In addition, students are trained to formulate the right analytics questions based on the situation/facts and identify the correct ensemble of data-driven approaches to address highly diverse business and societal problems. Equally important, they are taught how to properly communicate results and data-driven insights to maximize their impact on organizations.

Coaching the Best Minds with the Best Faculty

The idea of launching a data science masters program at the Asian Ins tute of Management was first conceived by the current President and Dean, Dr. Jikyeong Kang, about 5 years ago. Despite some strong sugges ons by various stakeholders to consider launching a Business Analy cs program, rather than a more hardcore Data Science program, she decided to carry out a market research study to test its feasibility and acceptance level in the marketplace. Similar to the informal feedback they received, the results were not very encouraging and, at best, gave a mixed view.

However, she felt passionate about its poten al contribu on to AIM's reputa on and the na on-building agenda for the Philippines, and convinced the faculty and the Board of Trustees to launch the program, and set out to search for the best faculty who could lead AIM's MSDS program. It took more than a year, but she found Dr. Erika Legara, who was, at that me, working in A*STAR in Singapore, and persuaded her to come back to the Philippines to start the MSDS program.

Indeed, Dr. Legara became the founding Academic Program Director of AIM's MSDS program. Prior to the program launch in 2017, she was tasked to design a truly excep onal curriculum, different from any data science program in the world and, of course, the first of its kind in the Philippines, and one of the pioneers in the region.

The AIM's Data Science team was in a unique posi on to cra a truly innova ve program for several reasons. Firstly, AIM is an autonomous private Ins tu on, offering business and management programs, so there was no campus poli cs involved. Secondly, since both, Dr. Erika Legara and Dr. Christopher Monterola, the founding School Head of AIM's Aboi z School of Innova on, Technology, and Entrepreneurship, have strong grounding from R&D engagements with various sectors of society, they were able to design the program that educates and trains students who can generate ac onable insights, business value, and societal impact from data-driven decisions. Addi onally, with rigorously trained and prac cing scien sts and academics, AIM's Data Science team has also made sure that the core courses are exac ng the competencies of the ins tute's graduates include strong technical skills to build and scale ar ficial intelligence models and make them useful to stakeholders.

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The program has grown from an ini al intake of 42 students in 2018 to its fourth intake of 84 students in April 2021. This increase in enrollment speaks volumes not only for the field of Data Science but also of the program and AIM's remarkable reputa on for shaping data science leaders.

Equipping the Course with Unique Scientific Features

There are four aspects that make AIM's Analytics and Data Science Program stand out from the rest. To begin with, the curriculum is designed to develop data scientists who are not only skilled at building tools and developing techniques in the fields of artificial intelligence and advanced analytics but are also fluent in the language of the enterprise. The MSDS program is twothirds technical data science courses and one-third leadership and management courses. The aim is to produce data scientists who are critical data-driven thinkers, decision-makers and effective communicators. The program also covers ethics and human behavior in organizations, for example, to ensure that future leaders also become ethical and effective team players.

The MSDS capstone project is another key feature of the program that makes it quite unique compared to other data science programs. It is a culminating activity where students take on projects (real-world problems) from various companies, organizations, and government agencies for which there are no existing solutions. In this exercise, MSDS students are trained as data science consultants and, as part of their training, they work closely with world-class professors, full-time data scientists at the Analytics, Computing, and Complex Systems lab (ACCeSs@AIM), and domain experts.

AIM MSDS students have access to a world-class computing facility housed at AIM, where they learn how to handle, manipulate, and analyze big datasets. The facility is part of the Institute's Analytics, Computing, and Complex Systems lab (ACCeSs@AIM).

ACCeSs@AIM is equipped with a 1.2-petaflops AI GPU-powered Acer supercomputer. The advanced analytics lab is envisioned to bridge publicprivate R&D collaboration to develop real-world solutions that address business and societal issues. It is designed to become a center of excellence in data analytics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and computational modeling.

Along with those key markers, in 2004, the Asian Institute of Management gained accreditation from AACSB, the premier accrediting agency and member service organization for business schools. AIM's accreditation was only the third in Asia after two schools in Hong Kong received their AACSB accreditation in 1999. To date, AIM is still the only school in the Philippines with an AACSB accreditation.

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AACSB is a not-for-profit organization composed of member organizations and institutions devoted to the promotion and continuous improvement of higher education for business administration and management. It's not just a 'stamp of approval,' as the process of earning AACSB accreditation requires a serious, long-term commitment by the school to develop, implement, and maintain the highest level of quality education delivered to its students.

The Path to Becoming Real World Leaders

Throughout the program, students gain exposure as junior data science consultants for the industry, government, and international organizations.

The MSDS program provides its students with a sandbox where they can test and launch their ideas, make mistakes, and learn from them under the close supervision of data science mentors and practitioners. In their capstone journey, students do not just jump straight into data analysis and model building, instead, they go through the whole data science project workflow– from writing project proposals to defending and winning the proposals, to data extraction, data mining and wrangling and building AI models, to model/platform deployment, and of course, to communicating actionable insights to stakeholders. Across terms, students are also tasked to come up with culminating projects and are often required to present their completed end-of-term projects to the general public.

Merits Received by the Institution

For three consecutive years since the launch of the MSDS program, Eduniversal's ranking has placed MSDS third among all other data analytics masters' programs in Far East Asia. AIM bested similar programs in Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and Malaysia. Eduniversal is a global ranking and rating agency that evaluates programs of business schools and universities in over 150 countries since 1994. Rankings are based on criteria that include the program's reputation, prospective income and job offers of the graduates, and the students' satisfaction.

Adding another feather to the cap, in 2020, the MSDS program received over 25 real-world use cases from various organizations and enterprises for AIM's students to work on, 15 of which made it to the program portfolio.

Partners and stakeholders estimated total potential revenue of about US$40 million from these short-term student-led projects.

In 2019, this estimate was US$10 million for 10 capstone projects. Indeed, through the program's partnerships, MSDS students become data science consultants even while studying; at the same time, the program gets to help organizations innovate through data science and artificial intelligence.

The laurels didn't stop there. In 2019, AIM's Analytics, Computing, and

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Complex Systems (ACCeSs) won the Technological Innovation of the Year trophy during the Times Higher Education Award inauguration in Dubai. The award was given to the Institute for the project hailed as “exemplary” by the judges for its multifaceted approach to engagement within research. The laboratory set-up in March 2018 was built to complement its existing academic programs such as the MSDS and from then on was able to bridge the gap between theory and practice for research-led training in higher education. Through ACCeSs@AIM, students were given the opportunity to learn and upskill themselves in Data Science with the capacity to use a leading-edge technology that would provide advancement in their future careers.

Solving the Toughest Problems

One of the major challenges the institute is facing right now is the fact that as the program continues to grow and mature, there is a scarcity of data science practitioners – not just regionally but also globally. In fact, academia also finds it difficult to compete against the industry in terms of attracting data science talents. Furthermore, of the already few data scientists who may be available to academia, fewer still have the right skill level to teach and mentor future data science leaders.

To address this pressing issue, AIM launched Ph.D. in Data Science program in late 2020 to fill this gap. Furthermore, AIM's MSDS program has been fortunate to have many of its best alumni give back to the Institute and the program. They lend their time and expertise to help the Asian Institute of Management educate and mold MSDS students. This is crucial to the program, especially now that its student population is growing.

The Future of Analytics Education

As companies continue to increase their investments and efforts in big data analytics and artificial intelligence, the institution expects analytics education to grow with them. According to research done by Quant Hub, in terms of job listings, the demand for data scientists has been growing at the rate of 37% year-on-year in 2019. There is a very high likelihood that this rate will grow further, especially now that many national governments – not just enterprises – see data science and AI as nation-defining capabilities.

Because of this increasing demand for data scientists and analysts, the need to nurture analytics talents will not just grow but will grow in an accelerating trend.

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Asian Institute of Management

Ambeone Institute

Dr. Jikyeong Kang

Founder & MD

President & Dean

Ambeone is a leading training ins tute in Dubai and one of the few in the region to offer classroom instructor-led training in all levels and aspects of data science, including in-depth knowledge in sta s cs, machine learning, and ar ficial intelligence. Founded in 2012, the ins tute focuses uniquely on management and business applica ons for both corporates and individuals.

Asian Ins tute of Management is an Asian pioneer in management educa on. The founding of the AIM in 1968 was the result of an unprecedented coopera ve effort between two leading educa onal ins tu ons in the Philippines.

Over the past five decades, AIM has contributed remarkably to sustain the growth of businesses and socie es in the region by developing professionals. www.aim.edu

Nita Mathur

Coding Dojo

George Karaphillis

CEO & Co-founder

Dean of the Shannon School of Business

Coding Dojo is a global educa on ins tu on that is transforming lives through programming literacy. The ins tute offers threefull-stack programming bootcamp, as well as part- me courses on in-demand emerging technologies such as Data Science, Web Development, and Cybersecurity. Through its accelerated training program, even people with no technical background can pursue lucra ve careers in tech.

www.cbu.ca

ANALYTICS AND

DATA SCIENCE INSTITUTES 2021

www.ambeone.com

Cape Breton University

Cape Breton University is a public, co-ed, primarily undergraduate university founded in 1974. Located in Sydney, Nova Sco a, Canada, the ins tu on offers diverse programs to cater the needs of the present and future trends to come. It provides a total of 78 programs including business analy cs, which is gaining momentum in the digital age.

MOST PROMINENT

Richard Wang

www.codingdojo.com

Meharry Medical College

Miami Herbert Business School

Fortune S. Mhlanga

Dr. Doug Lehmann

Founding Dean of the School of Applied Computa onal Sciences

Associate Professor- Professional Prac ce & Director- Master of Science in Business Analy cs

Meharry Medical College is one of the oldest and largest historically black academic health science centers in the US to educate physicians, den sts, researchers, and health policy experts. Founded in 1876 by four brothers, it was the first-ever medical college for AfricanAmericans in Nashville, Tennessee.

Serving across various domains, Meharry has recently launched the School of Applied Computa onal Sciences.

Miami Herbert Business School is a leader in preparing individuals and organisa ons to excel in the complex, dynamic, and interconnected world of global business. It is dedicated to develop innova ve ideas and principled leaders that transform global business and society. The Business School is determined to bridge the gap across borders, tackling fundamental business and social challenges.

www.sacsmeharry.org

www.herbert.miami.edu

Florida Polytechnic University Dr. Shahram Taj Chair of Analy cs & Data Science department

International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore (IIITB) Prof. Chandrashekar Ramanathan Professor & Dean (Academics)

Florida Polytechnic University provides leading-edge degree programs that prepare graduates to take on today’s fastest-growing fields. The university's mission is to serve students and industry through excellence in educa on, discovery, and applica on of engineering and applied sciences. With cu ng-edge concepts, the university’s data science program focuses on the fundamentals of applied mathema cs, computer science, probability, sta s cs, etc.

The Interna onal Ins tute of Informa on Technology Bangalore (IIITB) is a pres gious private technical and research University (Deemed) located in Bengaluru, India. The ul mate mission of IIITB is to build a world-class research-led ins tu on that can enhance the emerging IT industry in India. IIITB offers a cu ng-edge Analysis and Data Science Programme that scores over other ins tutes.

www.floridapoly.edu

www.iiitb.ac.in

Skillslash Academy Rahul Kashyap

Learnbay Data Science Institute

CEO & Co-Founder

Krishna Kumar

Skillslash Academy is an emerging EdTech company offering courses in data science, ar ficial intelligence, and data structures for working professionals to help them shi into the analy cs domain with utmost proficiency. The ins tu on also provides courses for young graduates, guiding them with proper assistance and applica on-based programmes. Skillslash aims to create a well-grounded online pla orm for data science aspirants. www.skillslash.com

Founder Learnbay Data Science Ins tute aims at securing working professionals’ career by assis ng them in developing analy cal and technical skills. This will enable them to make a transi on into highgrowth analy cal job roles by leveraging their own domain knowledge, and work experience at an affordable cost. Each of Learnbay’s data science and AI courses are associated with highly credible capstone projects. www.learnbay.co/data-science-course

Makers of Successful Data Scientists

A

mbeone, is a leading training institute in Dubai

The institute has launched its data science course with

and one of the few in the region offering

the mission to build skill sets and create future data

classroom instructor-led training in all levels

scientists who can help organizations harness data in an

and aspects of data science including in-depth

accurate and statistically robust manner.

knowledge in statistics, machine learning, and artificial

The focus of Ambeone's data science and AI courses has

intelligence focusing uniquely on management and

always been to provide an integrated approach

business applications for both corporates and

comprising of strong foundation in statistical knowledge

individuals.

with programming skills in R and Python for data mining

The institute has been set up in 2012 and is renowned for

and manipulation to build robust machine learning and

its training in data science, data-driven management

AI models for business applications to improve

programs, business excellence programs, and energy

productivity, profitability, and performance.

efficiency programs. The department for data science, machine learning, and AI training was started in 2015 to

The Curriculum that Leads the Students Towards

propagate these new technologies into corporate

Success

management by building skill set capacity.

There are two important aspects of the curriculum and

The faculty, who are industry practitioners in this field

pedagogy followed by the institute. First is, a strong

with many years of experience in using research and

foundation in statistics and data interpretation, since it is

analytics in business, noticed huge gaps in skill sets in this

crucial and is indeed the foundation for mastery and

fast-growing field, and were convinced that the correct

expertise in the field of machine learning and artificial

use of data analytics and data science will benefit the

intelligence domains. And second, a strong focus on using

industry tremendously.

data science for business applications. The institute

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Ms. Nita Mathur Founder and MD Ambeone

21

“ “We create Data Scientists who can successfully develop data science & AI solutions, which are rooted in robust statistics as well as are creatively designed with out of box thinking, and positively impact an organisation's 3 P's-Performance, Profitability and Productivity.”

- Ms. Nita Mathur Founder and MD Ambeone

www.ambeone.com

22

believes that data science is not an isolated topic. Its

The Brain Behind the Institute

utility is in helping business organizations derive

Nita Mathur is the Founder of Ambeone Institute. She is a

valuable insights, predictions, and automation to

market research and management industry expert and

enhance productivity and profitability.

data science management consultant with over 30 years

Hence, the data science courses focus on learning data

of experience. She is a Gold Medalist in statistics and has

science techniques with the ultimate goal of using them

completed her PGDM (MBA) from the prestigious

in different business scenarios. The students are trained

institute- Indian Institute of Management, Kolkata (IIM-

to use several customized case studies and projects built

C). Along with a strong focus on business applications,

around real industry data and internships to ensure that

her agenda is to design and deliver programs that make

they can apply their new skills successfully for business

students job-ready in the fast-growing data science

applications.

industry.

Ambeone, has carefully designed a learning structure,

Her focus and goal is to prepare students in a well-

offering a complete series of data science courses with

structured and time-bound manner to quickly enter the

nine different levels, that offer students the flexibility to

field as a skilled data scientist and get high-growth jobs in

join any level of the data science series based on their

the industry.

aptitude and current skills to progress to higher levels at

Nita says, “We focus on making our students a complete

their own pace.

professional Data Scientist and not just R or Python

All courses are provided as in-person faculty-led

Programmers ".

classroom training with an emphasis on assignments,

Hence, she places significant emphasis on ensuring that

case studies, and building data science projects for

students understand the foundation of statistics for data

different business applications.

analytics and modeling and then learn to apply these

Its integrated program – "Associate in Data Science and

skills correctly with suitable ML and AI techniques

AI " is a highly popular course that provides a

holistically in different business applications.

comprehensive one-stop learning solution for all relevant components of data science so that one can

Why is Ambeone Different from the Rest?

start from the basics and progress towards becoming a

It is the only leading institute in the Gulf region providing

data scientist with expertise in machine learning and AI

certified in-person instructor-led classroom training

and enter this growing field quickly as a job-ready

programs for all levels and aspects in data science

professional in just six months. In fact, for this data

including basic statistics, advanced statistics,

science course, the institute also offers job placement

programming in R and Python, and a wide range of

assistance to students and helps find them suitable

supervised and unsupervised machine learning and AI

placement through its industry contacts and

techniques with the ultimate objective of enhancing

engagements.

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business outcomes through data science in terms of

well as internships to ensure job readiness in this exciting

improved productivity, profits, and performance.

field. As part of Ambeone's data science courses,

All the data science courses, data analyst courses, and

students develop several data science projects based on

artificial intelligence courses are offered as instructor-

real industry data to learn and practice all aspects of

led classroom training for effective learning and

building and applying data science models. Furthermore,

retention. The programs are taught by industry experts

the training emphasizes not just building models but also

and management consultants who have a data science

training students on how to evaluate and enhance their

consulting background with a strong foundation in

models using intricate statistical concepts so the models

statistics and business applications. The institute's

can work as efficiently and effectively as possible to meet

Faculty have over 30 years of experience in research and

the business challenges.

analytics consulting with acclaimed academic

The programs also include lots of hands-on practical

credentials like Gold Medalist in Statistics, MBA from

assignments and emphasis on the Gulf and Middle East

IIM, Ph.D. in Data Science. All the courses have been

Industries based case studies and projects to ensure job

systematically developed and structured to optimize the

readiness and relevance of the students in this emerging

application of data science in the industry. Its content is

and exciting field in the UAE and Middle East Region.

the result of years of management experience and

It also encourages students to participate individually or

addresses real challenges in applying data science and

as teams in various competitions by Kaggle as well as

machine learning at a practical level.

take part in the industry projects in the region.

Ambeone's data science course series is carefully structured to make students jobs ready in six months and

Balancing Practicality and Statistically correct usage

the institute also provides placement assistance through

amid Hype of Data Science

their industrial contacts and engagement. The data

The main challenge that an institute like Ambeone faces

science courses certification focuses on hands-on

is to explain to data science aspirants the need for a solid

learning through building data science projects, case

foundation in statistics to become a successful data

studies, and assignments. In addition, since the courses

scientist.

are offered as per a fixed schedule, students can

Due to the big demand in data science jobs, there is a lot

complete the program quickly in a time-bound manner.

of interest in data science courses, but most people

This directly impacts their take-off and entry time in this

believe that knowing programming in Python is what is

fast-emerging field.

data science is all about.

The programs are offered in small batches so there is

Training on all these aspects of data science in a holistic

personal attention but at the same time ample

manner takes lots of time and effort from both faculty

interaction with other participants from diverse

and students and cannot be done through quick courses

backgrounds in terms of industries and functionalities. It

which do not emphasize on underlying practical and

also offers niche programs in data science applications

statistical concepts.

for different industries like fraud analytics, HR analytics,

The other challenge the institute faces is to ensure that

energy efficiency analytics, Alog Trading, etc.

everyone understands that data science is not a goal by itself but it is only a tool or a means to an end, i.e., it cannot

Providing Practical Exposure to Improve Skill Sets

be used in isolation and has to be used for a practical

The data science programs include various hands-on

business application.

practical assignments and industry-based case studies as

Hence Ambeone's Faculty face a huge challenge as data

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science trainers and consultants to ensure that aspirants

gained a lot of importance due to the incredible

of data science do not use it for just the hype and glamour

advantages it offers. Technology related to big data

but apply it correctly at the practical business level in a

analytics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence is

statistical and systematic manner .

growing at a fast pace. With artificial intelligence and big

Recognitions and Awards Achieved by the Institute

data taking over the market by the storm, most

For Ambeone, the students' and industry professionals'

companies are deploying AI and data science techniques,

feedback is the main award and recognition. The faculty

hence it is becoming imperative for everyone to be up-to-

has trained several senior industry experts who found

date with these new technologies and ways of doing

the programs very valuable for clarity of concepts as well

business to remain competitive and productive.

as hands-on learning for its business applications. The

There is an urgent need for all to understand and develop

students who were looking for a career boost have been

big data analytics and machine learning and AI to remain

placed in leading data science roles across the EMEA

relevant and competitive in the future world of

Region and have been able to apply data science at their

automation. It is also important to be creative and

work successfully and correctly predict future values of

innovative at every step to use the insights and

KPI's they monitor because of the data science skills they

information from analytics to develop more customer-

learned.

centric products, services, and solutions. To keep up with

Furthermore, the institute has also been awarded by

the trends, Ambeone offers programs that improve both

MEA markets as the leading trainer in Data Analytics and

human and machine skills, i.e., management skills, team

Data Science for 2019 and 2020.

skills, and machine learning and AI skills.

In the long term, the institute is planning to introduce a

The Future of Analytics Education

postgraduate one-year program for students to get into

"The key driver for the growth in analytics and data

the data science field which will cover data science,

science education is the value that organizations and

statistics, its applications in business as well as modules

industries start to obtain by leveraging their data! ," says

in creativity and innovation so that the new skills in data

Nita.

science are reflective for better uses of analytics and AI.

And today organizations are seeing the benefits of

Furthermore ,in view of international demand, Ambeone

analytics and data science leading to a surge in jobs for

is also planning to offer its courses through Live

data scientists and hence the growth in data science and

instructor led -well structured interactive sessions

analytics education.

online.

In this decade, big data and its analysis and usage have

25

The Right Place for Business Analytics

C

ape Breton University is a public, co-ed,

the students to deal with actual business decisions by

primarily undergraduate university founded

using data and statistics.

in1974. It is located in Sydney, Nova Scotia,

Canada. It is the only post-secondary degree-granting

Motive Behind Setting Up the Institution

institute within the Cape Breton Regional Municipality

Cape Breton University (CBU) was established in

and Cape Breton Island. The university serves more than

response to the community's demand for a strong

5,500 full-time and part-time students from local,

institution of higher learning in the region. The Shannon

regional and national locations. CBU is also the academic

School of Business of Cape Breton University values this

home of over 2,000 international students representing

legacy and retains its strong connection to the

more than 50 countries.

community and industry. It has been attracting a large

CBU has ranked 19

th

in the MacLean's Primarily

number of local and international students every year.

Undergraduate university rankings since 2018. The

The Business Analytics Post-Baccalaureate Diploma

th

university ranked 6 overall in their 2021 student

program is an example of niche programming that builds

satisfaction survey; a high placement in the most

on the strengths of the institution to meet specific needs

important ranking.

of the industry. The mission behind establishing this

The institution offers diverse programs to cater to the

university is to attend to the needs of the community in

needs of the present and future. It provides a total of 78

pursuing higher education.

programs for its students. Of them, four programs have been added recently, which include a program in

Creating a Holistic Environment

business analytics, and these popular programs have

The main campus of Cape Breton University is in Sydney,

been gaining momentum.

Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada. Cape Breton Island

The Post-Baccalaureate Diploma in Business Analytics is

continues to be lauded as one of the most beautiful

valuable in the real world, as businesses are looking

islands in the world and offers the perfect setting for

towards data and analytics for improved business

university studies. The Shannon School of Business has

planning and decision making. This program can equip

its own building on the main campus of CBU and it has

26

George Karaphillis Dean of the Shannon School of Business, Cape Breton University, Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada

27

“ “Today's economy needs leaders who know how to interpret the data that drives our world forward”.

- George Karaphillis Dean of the Shannon School of Business, Cape Breton University, Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada.

www.cbu.ca

28

been offering post-secondary programs for over 40 years, with thousands of graduates earning either a general degree, or a major or concentration in a specialized area of Business.

The Shannon School of Business currently offers Bachelor and Master Degrees, and Post-Baccalaureate Diploma programs in Business Management, Supply Chain Management, Health Care Management, and Business Analytics.

A Breakdown of the Course Curriculum The Diploma in Business Analytics is a focused university program in the high-demand field of Business Analytics.

This is a Post-Baccalaureate Diploma program which is aimed at university graduates who have already obtained a bachelor's degree. The course provides an

Preparing Students to be Future Ready

opportunity to students who have strong mathematical

The post-baccalaureate diploma program in Business

skills, and who are willing to pursue studies in business

Analytics is one of the very few such programs delivered

analytics. As the discipline pursued at an undergraduate

by a Canadian public university. It focuses on strong

level may not be sufficient to face the competitive world,

fundamentals and on transferable skills. This program

this diploma program can complement and add value to

includes a variety of specialized courses that are not

any degree.

easily found in one single program.

The program provides a strong foundation in statistics,

Cape Breton University is committed to hiring faculty

databases, and marketing research. In the first year,

with strong skills and providing them with tools and

students are introduced to statistical analysis,

resources needed to deliver a world-class program.

quantitative methods and database approaches. In the

CBU's Business Analytics program employs highly

second year, the curriculum focuses on data mining

qualified professors to build a strong foundation in

techniques, data visualization and predictive modeling.

critical concepts through applied approaches to the

The final semester provides the opportunity to work

subject matter. It is determined to train students with a

with an organization to apply their newly acquired

variety of tools to analyze data and make business

analytics skills in a specific project.

decisions. The curriculum includes database concepts,

The courses are delivered through interactive

statistical analysis, and applied research methods.

classrooms and labs, with fewer students to facilitate the student-to-instructor method of learning. The lectures

The Practical Exposure of the Course

are delivered by highly qualified professors who hold

Every course of CBU programs includes practical

doctorate degrees along with strong industry

exercises, assignments, and projects.

experience. Business Analytics and applied diploma

In the last semester, students have an opportunity to do a

programs are fine examples of programs of Cape Breton

12-week internship placement with a business,

University that are designed to deliver transferable skills

community organization, or government agency, or

to the industry.

complete a capstone project. Through this training,

29

students get an opportunity to apply their skills to an

Universities Contributions Towards Analytics and Data

analytics project.

Science The popularity and functionality of advanced big data

The Leader's Thoughts on the Changing Industry

methodologies has opened several opportunities for

Landscape

jobs. Business Analytics is more than analyzing data; it is

George Karaphillis is the Dean of the Shannon School of

about making better decisions to create value and

Business, Cape Breton University, Sydney, Nova Scotia,

impact. CBU's program has been strongly emphasizing

Canada. George reflected on his life and said, “My

this concept. This way the university is able to prepare

undergraduate studies were in Science and Engineering

students to provide their value to business firms.

and my graduate studies were in Business. I believe that science, innovation, and responsible management, with

Overcoming Roadblocks in the Field of Analytics

the community in mind, is what advances society. I have a

Cape Breton University believes that analytics is a

strong appreciation of the importance of facts and

mainstream business function and it should not be

information. I believe that analytics provides

reserved for programmers, coders, and data scientists

intelligence and insights that can enable managers and

only. The major challenge was to clear the confusion of

leaders to make better decisions”.

the role of analytics in business and the difference

A couple years ago the institution decided to build on

between data science and analytics. Since analytics is a

resources and to establish specialized diploma programs

broad discipline, CBU's Business Analytics diploma takes

that can help university graduates attain skills that are in

a truly broad approach towards the subject. It

strong demand by the industry. The Business Analytics

incorporates the use of database mining and statistical

diploma program was the university's highest priority; it

analysis in analyzing data and gaining insights towards

is a fine example of its specialized programs that are in

making better business decisions. This is how CBU has

demand by students and industry.

overcome its biggest challenge.

The emergence of large data sets and the sophisticated methods used by businesses to analyze big data have

The Thriving Future of Analytics Education

created many career positions in the economy and this is

The growth of business analytics education in the future

what motivated CBU to develop the post-baccalaureate

will most probably outpace the growth that IT education

diploma program in Business Analytics. The institution

experienced in the 80s and 90s. The widespread use of

believes that four trends are fueling data growth and job

web, mobile devices by businesses, institutions, and

demand: cloud computing, a shift in emphasis from

consumers have been generating immense mountains of

transaction processing to interaction processing, the

data. The world is awash with digital data, but it certainly

growth of mobile data, and the significant improvements

is not awash with professionals who are skilled to analyze

in quantitative modeling software.

and make sense of the data.

According to George, organizations that are able to make

Cape Breton University believes that there is a large-

sense of collected and stored data tend to use these

scale need in an area of strategic importance. The

insights to differentiate their offerings and meet their

shortage of business data analysts is a significant

customers' needs and wants. Business Analytics has

limitation to the growth of the economy. CBU realised

b e c o m e a n i n t e g ra l p a r t o f m o d e r n b u s i n e s s

the rising role of business analytics specialists in the

management; it has provided critical strategic

future across various industries.

advantages for various companies and public agencies.

30

DATA SCIENCE Four Pre-course Actions Required to Kickstart Career in a Data-centric World

I

t goes without saying that Data Science is one of the most rapidly growing and fast-evolving disciplines in the

post-millennial era. It is in much demand in multiple industries across the world and eminent organisations are

offering lucrative salary packages to recruit data scientists. Naturally, learning Data Science will be a hot

pursuit of many aspirants looking for a stable as well as challenging career. But success in learning and careerbuilding requires carefully chosen steps. One needs to keep in mind the following four crucial steps to avoid leapfrogging instantly to a Data Science field--- offline or online mode and part-time or full-time work.

Four pre-course actions required to be in a data-centric

ideal profession whereas if a candidate is from an

world

engineering background, data engineer can be ideal. One has to know the minute differences between the professions and narrow down the potential areas of

Speculate the Area of Interest Yes, the term 'data scientist' may sound interesting and desirable due to the tag of being the sexiest job of the 21

interest.

st

century but it is overwhelming at first. The profession

Add Skill-sets for a Better Understanding

itself has a wide range to work where Artificial

One has to add basic skill-sets for a better understanding

Intelligence is also used to boost productivity. There are

of the area of interest in the vast field of Data Science. It is

multiple roles available in industries for efficient data

a major step to brush up on the skills for better learning

management such as data visualisation expert, data

and growth in the future. Since it is all about data

scientist, data engineer, data architect, machine learning

management, one is required to have the know-how of

scientist, machine learning expert and many more. One

statistical, analytical and programming skills to

has to speculate the area of interest based on the

transform complex sets of raw data into business

educational background. For instance, if a candidate is

insights. A strong foundation can be created by

from a statistics background, a data analyst can be an

completing internships and online courses that provide

professional certificates to add to the CV. There are

Focus on Practical Knowledge

thousands of online courses and internships available on

The candidate needs to put more focus on practical

professional sites like LinkedIn or Coursera but one has

knowledge than the theoretical ones for more strong

to talk to other peers to know the right one. The hands-on

fundamental concepts. Dealing with data explosion

experiences through projects and assignments can add

requires hands-on knowledge to transform those raw

skill-sets to provide a clear picture of the specified field.

and complex data into meaningful outcomes. Practical knowledge will protect the candidate from committing

Select a Programming Language

any mistake in data processing. One has to ensure to

The aspiring candidate is required to specialise in at least

complete all types of exercises and assignments to solve

one programming tool or language to secure the future in

complex problems, develop a deeper understanding with

Data Science. There are multiple programming

a few open data sets by applying the basic knowledge as

languages available in the field such as Python, R, Java,

well as follow the solutions of professionals in the field to

C++, SQL and many more. But one has to choose any of

ask them about the defects and right approaches.

the languages for specialisation. Data-centric

Industries have started leveraging large-scale complex

organisations require candidates with a flair for coding

sets of real-time data to get distinguished from

and basic knowledge of any one programming language

competitors across the world. Thus, one can play a key

to understand database. This knowledge will enhance

role in taking rapid and crucial decisions for an

the ability to develop real algorithms and data

organisation by continuing a career in Data Science. It is a

management.

lucrative option but aspiring candidates need to focus on these four pre-course actions before entering into the data-centric world.

A Prominent Analytics and Data Science Institute for Tech Enthusiasts

T

he importance of Data Science brings together

Encouraging Programming Literacy Among Non-Tech

the domain expertise from programming,

Individuals

mathematics, and statistics to create insights

Coding Dojo is a global education institution that is

and make sense of data. When we think about why data

transforming lives through programming literacy.

science is increasingly becoming important, the answer

Through accelerated training programs, a proprietary

lies in the fact that the value of data is soaring. Data

Learning Management System, and dedicated career

Science is revolutionizing almost every industry and

services, people with no technical background can reskill

gaining popularity day by day. Data Science dominates its

to meet the needs of the 21st-century economy and

emerging job ranking with a whopping 37% hiring growth

pursue more lucrative careers in tech.

over the past three years.

Coding Dojo is a leading technology education institute

Innovative Courses that Motivate Learning

that o ers a three-full-stack programming bootcamp, as

Coding Dojo's innovative curriculum and proprietary

well as part-time courses on in-demand emerging

learning management system are designed to train

technologies, such as Data Science, Web Development,

students to become self-sufficient developers and data

and Cybersecurity. Since 2013, this company has been

scientists, regardless of their technical background or

the only 14-week bootcamp program available that can

lack thereof. Programs at Coding Dojo retrain workers to

successfully train developers in three full stacks.

address the growing workforce skills gap and empower individuals to pursue meaningful careers in the thriving

34

Richard Wang CEO and Co-founder Coding Dojo

35

“ The importance of data literacy is rapidly increasing as the world is dominated and driven by data. To stay relevant, or even informed about things that is used every day, it is needed to know how to work with data. So, the importance of analytics education is increasing and not just for analysts, data scientists, etc. but for everyone who works in tech.

- Richard Wang CEO and Co-founder Coding Dojo

www.codingdojo.com

36

digital economy. Coding Dojo has invested seven years

up to date on the industry trends. The end result is a

and millions of dollars into its proprietary learning

polished, relevant, and valuable course that equips

management system, which offers educational

students with the skills and knowledge required to land a

experiences for learners of all backgrounds and includes

great job in data science.

hundreds of hours of videos, assignments, lessons, and

Providing Agile Programs for Data Science Enthusiasts

projects for its B2C students and corporate partners.

Coding Dojo's data science program covers the most

Specifically, its part-time Data Science Bootcamp is a

marketable skills in data science in a convenient part-

deep dive into the fundamentals of data science and

time schedule. The institute opted to launch a part-time

machine learning in Python. Throughout the 12-week

program to cater to workers who do not want to leave

and part-time course, students gain a comprehensive

their current job, which has been relevant especially

understanding of the entire data science process from

throughout the pandemic. It is great for people that need

end-to-end, including data preprocessing, data analysis

to work or have other commitments outside the

and visualization, as well as how to properly apply

program, helping them learn in such a short amount of

machine learning algorithms to various situations or

time.

tasks. Graduates also walk away with a portfolio of

The program is designed for people of all backgrounds

projects to showcase their data science acumen to

and experience levels. There are no barriers to the entry

prospective employers.

in data science field. Additionally, Coding Dojo's

This course is beginner and advanced-friendly, implying

curriculum can be adjusted much quicker than other

that students who have no prior experience can enroll,

programs (such as the university programs), and this

along with more seasoned developers who want to be

enables the institute to be agile and also ensures that the

introduced to the data science space.

newest and most in-demand skills are taught.

A Visionary's Determination to Contribute to the

Getting Future Ready with Practical Exposure

Industry

The curriculum of the institute uses real data, and it is

The CEO and Co-founder of Coding Dojo, Richard Wang,

easy for the students to get comfortable with the

is involved in driving the institute's product strategy and

ambiguity or “messiness” or real-world data. For

course offerings. As the institute specializes in technical

instance, students can choose any data set they want for

training programs, the meteoric rise of data science

the course's capstone project. This creates an

throughout the last decade could not be ignored, said the

opportunity for the students who are currently

CEO. Keeping in mind the solid job growth numbers and

employed to work with their company's data, or

even more promising outlook for job growth in the

partnering with a startup to work with their data, or

future, nearly two years ago the data science program

volunteering for a nonprofit organization to donate data

was created bythe institute.

science work.

Initially, Richard engaged with the Chief Data Scientist

The entire 12-week course has a heavy focus on applied

for Army AI Task Force to create the institute's first data

data science. The end result is graduates who are ready

science curriculum, which was a five-week program that

and knowledgeable enough to make an immediate

offered a much higher-level introduction to the industry.

impact on their current organization, or to hit the ground

Since then, multiple data scientists and educators have

running in their new career.

been hired to build upon the foundational curriculum and have made countless iterations to the content to keep it

Transforming Analytics and Big Data Education

37

Coding Dojo has set out to be an eminent source of

Richard believes the data science industry is extremely

technical training around the world. There is a massive

fast-paced and is growing rapidly, which means the core

demand for data scientists and analysts in every industry

technologies and tools involved are ever-changing. For

in the digital economy, and Coding Dojo will be a major

example, many of the cutting-edge NLP models were

supplier of that talent and provide economic opportunity

only created in the past 2-3 years. Even many programs

for workers globally, as a result.

that created their curricula in 2017 or 2018 are also going to be out of date. To address these challenges,

Notable Awards and Achievements

there is a modular curriculum that can be updated as new

The institute has been recognized for its excellence in

technologies or other industry trends emerge.

education with several awards some of which include: Ÿ

Best Platform for Adult Learning, Finalist, SIIA Codie Awards 2021

Ÿ

Best Professional Development Learning Solution, Finalist, EdTech Digest Cool Tools 2021

Ÿ

Best Learning Management System, Finalist, Tech Edvocate Awards 2020

Ÿ

Best Online Bootcamps 2021, Switch Up

Ÿ

Best Bootcamps 2020-2021, Course Report

Ÿ

Top 10 Best Online Bootcamps, Best Colleges

Ÿ

MIT Inclusive Innovation Award, Winner 2016

Barriers Faced by Coding Dojo at the Forefront of Analytics

38

Future Growth Projection of Analytics Education.

The importance of data literacy is rapidly increasing as the world is dominated and driven by data. “To stay relevant, or even informed about things that is used every day, it is needed to know how to work with data. So, the importance of analytics education is increasing and not just for analysts, data scientists, etc. but for everyone who works in tech,” said Richard.

This trend will only accelerate in the coming years as the field will see 11.5 million new jobs created by 2026 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Delivering State-of-the-Art Analytics and Data Science Education

F

lorida Polytechnic University provides leading-

data analytics expertise with a business focus by offering

edge degree programs that prepare graduates to

a program specially designed to prepare students for top

take on today's fastest-growing fields. The

jobs in today's high-technology and data-intensive

university's mission is to serve students and industry

business world.

through excellence in education, discovery, and application of engineering and applied sciences.

A Distinguished Leadership Dr Shahram Taj, Chair of the Department, started at

Comprehensive Analytics and Data Science Courses

Florida Poly in 2016 after almost 30 years in academia

The department of Data Science and Business Analytics

and industry. The reason he came to this young university

(DSBA) offers two innovative undergraduate degrees in

was to develop an advanced, highly innovative program.

data science and business analytics, and graduate degree

The university has since launched a series of data science

tracks in data science and engineering management.

and business analytics programs and hired faculty with

With cutting-edge concepts, techniques, and practices,

outstanding expertise. With the help of Dr Taj, the

the university's data science program focuses on the

university has been successful in building an amazing

fundamentals of applied mathematics, computer

program and produced graduates who are quickly

science, probability, statistics, optimization, and machine

employed at leading technology companies in high-

learning while incorporating real-world examples. The

paying jobs.

business analytics curriculum provides training in the skills needed to solve complex problems that occur in the

Setting Itself Apart from Other Institutes

management of big data analytics, marketing, finance,

Florida Poly has one of the few departments of data

and innovation and technology. The department offers

science and business analytics in the country where

42

Dr. Shahram Taj The Chair of Analytics and Data Science department Florida Poly

43

“ “The DSBA department at Florida Poly has been years ahead of other institutions. Its courses and programs are early adopters and motivators of new Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) codes, that better define the field.”

- Dr Shahram Taj The Chair of Analytics and Data Science department Florida Poly

www.floridapoly.edu

44

students pursuing careers in those disciplines belong to a

research project with Facens that will have a direct

single department with faculty who have a wide range of

impact on the future traffic flow of a major Brazilian city.

expertise related to their fields. At other universities, these kinds of programs can be spread out across

Contributing to the Growth of Analytics and Big Data

multiple departments. The DSBA department of Florida

Education

Poly is a holistic program designed to support the

One of the contributions in this field of education from

cornerstone principles of data science and business

the Florida Poly DSBA department is the development of

analytics. Its small classes enable the world-class faculty

a strong curriculum in data science and business

to connect easily with students and share their real-

analytics. This includes the creation of innovative

world industry experiences.

courses and talking about advanced topics in data science and business analytics. Examples of these

Provision of Practical Exposure to the Students

innovative courses include data visualization, data

During their senior year, all the departmental students

wrangling, topics in big data analytics, and statistical

complete a one-year capstone design project sponsored

learning. The courses created are now being adopted by

by a company. Each student must also complete an

other universities. In addition, outstanding faculties like

internship before graduation. Because of these projects

Dr Shahram Taj and Dr Rei Sanchez-Arias, have

and the nature of the university, students are going to be

presented at international conferences, sharing details

job-ready on day one. The university's faculty not only

about their curriculum, their mission, and the priority of

have excellent academic backgrounds, but also have a

their programs. The DSBA department at Florida Poly

high level of industry experience. Through that

has been years ahead of other institutions. Its courses

experience, they instill in students those soft skills, that

and programs are early adopters and motivators of new

are very important, so the students are ready to navigate

Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) codes, that

the reality of the modern workplace. The students get

better define the field. It also has an industry advisory

the opportunities to engage in research as both

board that meets regularly. These are professionals and

graduates and undergraduates, and the university

experts in their fields at major companies who review the

partners with international institutions such as the

programs and curriculum and provide feedback to

Fulbright Program and the prestigious Centro

improve the programs and launch new courses. The

Universitário Faces in Brazil. Recently, a graduate

department tries to fill the unmet needs of industry, and

student in this program has completed an extensive

that is why their students are highly sought after.

45

Stories of Success that Define the Mission

university still has been successful in communicating the

Florida Poly has successfully created Florida's first

benefits of its program and commitment to providing

undergraduate concentration in health systems

students with the skills and education they will need to

engineering, led by Dr Grisselle Centeno. In 2020, both

succeed in today's fastest-growing fields.

annual Ablaze internal university faculty awards were presented to members of the DSBA department for

What the Future Holds for Analytics Education

excellence in teaching and excellence in research. The

With every passing day, the analytics department of the

university hires faculty who are experts in emerging

university has an increasing need to incorporate data

fields, which were practically nonexistent just 15 years

science and business analytics principles in all fields.

ago. The Florida Industrial and Phosphate Research

Both undergraduate and graduate degrees in these areas

Institute (FIPR), part of Florida Poly, presents its

will continue to rise. Florida Poly offers very targeted

students with the unique opportunity to do research

concentrations that are continuously reviewed and

work with the institute, under the direction of Dr Jim

evaluated for potential adaptation or establishment.

Mennie, a faculty member in business analytics. Their

That is the reason for the logistics analytics or health

industry advisory group is also a very valuable asset.

systems engineering concentrations. As there are needs in the future, such as for FinTech, it can address those and

Significant Challenges Faced by the Analytics

meet them. The growth of analytics education will be

Department in the University

guided and supported by all the other disciplines that will

Florida Poly faces challenges in recruiting full-time and

begin learning and embracing the power of data in their

part-time faculty in the analytics department because

fields. The department will soon start seeing applications

this is a very new and emerging field. While this may be

of analytics and data science in a variety of new

easier to do in a large area like Houston or Detroit, the

disciplines as these evolve.

46

A Prestigious Deemed University to Shape Your Career in Data Science

T

he International Institute of Information

on 15 t h September 1999 after the institute had

Technology Bangalore (IIITB) is a prestigious

commenced in June 1999.

private technical and research University

The ultimate mission of IIITB is to build a world-class

(Deemed) located in Bengaluru, India, with the motto

research-led institution that can enhance the emerging

' K n o w l e d g e i s S u p r e m e'. I I I T B i s a n o n - p r o fi t

IT industry in India. The inspiration behind this mission

organisation governed by a board, having Kris

are two textile research institutes - SITRA (South India

Gopalakrishnan, the Co-founder of Infosys Ltd. It offers

Textile Research Institute) in Coimbatore, and ATIRA

Integrated M.Tech with a dual degree of B.Tech and

(Ahmedabad Textile Industry Research) in Ahmedabad,

M.Tech, Master of Technology, Master of Science by

that have made massive contributions to the Indian

Research, PhD, M.Sc (Digital Society) with different

textile industry.

specialisations, PG Diploma and several certificate

An interesting fact is that Information Technology was

programmes.

the third 'T' involved in Indian exports right after Tea and Textiles in 1999. It has been more than twenty years

IIITB at the Break of Dawn

since the IT sector has emerged with exports of $200

The government of Karnataka is the first-ever

billion, providing 4.5 million jobs while Tea and Textiles

government body to initiate the idea of IIITB as a part of

cater to $40 billion in export with currently around 40

its IT Policy in 1997-1998. The official classes kicked off

million jobs!

48

Prof. Chandrashekar Ramanathan Professor & Dean (Academics) IIITB

49

“ “Analytics Education will dramatically expand in the next five years, as the demand for people who strive for domain knowledge will leverage Analytics expertise.”

- Prof. Chandrashekar Ramanathan Professor & Dean (Academics) IIITB

www.iiitb.ac .in

50

Delivering Rich and Robust Data Science Programme

currently serving as a faculty teacher in one of the

IIITB offers a cutting-edge Analysis and Data Science

courses of this programme.

Programme that scores over other institutes with the following key differentiators:

Offering Extensive Practical Exposure The courses in the IIITB curriculum has been carefully

Ÿ

Ÿ

Expert Faculty: The faculty members have strong

designed to ensure that students enhance the integrated

academic backgrounds with PhD from reputed

know-how through different practical exposures such as

world-class institutions while being actively involved

providing assignments and projects by using tools and

in the advanced research in this particular field.

techniques through several videos and lectures. This

Tight linkage with industry experts: Right from the

constant exposure prepares the students to meet the

inception, IIITB has striven to involve industry-

needs of the industry effectively and efficiently.

relevant case studies, tools, practices and many more

Ÿ

such proven practices to enhance the practical

Remarkable Achievements that Inspire

knowledge of students.

Ÿ

IIITB achieved its recognition as a “Deemed

Strong mentorship and guidance: The institute takes

University” in 2004 and currently, holds the status as

great care of its students by providing personalised

a PhD granting Research University.

attention through mentors who help the students

Ÿ

The institute was placed in the highest category along

navigate the complex world of professional education

with IISc and other Deemed Universities by Tandon

and overcome the different obstacles that they face.

Committee Report. Ÿ

A, in 2009.

Among the Top 50 Data Scientists in India!

P r o f. C h a n d r a s h e k a r R a m a n a t h a n i s w i d e l y

NAAC accredited IIITB in the highest-level category,

Ÿ

IIITB has held its place in the Top 50 Institutes for

acknowledged as an expert in Analytics and Data Science

three consecutive years--- 2018, 2019 and 2020,

in the country, and is a senior faculty member in this

competing with 100+-year-old IISc and 50+ years old

progamme in IIITB. He successfully designed and

IITs and NITs.

delivered a short certification course - Analytics

Ÿ

The Government of India sought the services of IIITB

Essential, in 2015. He has held eminent positions as

for the National Information Infrastructure Project

Associate Dean and later Dean (Academics) in IIITB. He

formulation (NII 2.0), leading to more than Rs. 20,000

was the administrative in-charge of the online version of

crores known as 'BharatNet' that the Government

the programmes, in partnership with upGrad where he is

had initiated in 2013.

51

Ÿ

Ÿ

The Government of India also asked this institution to

IIITB started overcoming this challenge by initiating

be a mentor for the Greenfield Project at the

various high impact courses - Data Mining/ Data

Myanmar Institute of Technology (MIIT) in 2015,

Warehousing in 2002, Bengaluru's Data Mining Special

where at present around 24 IIITB faculty and staff are

Interest Group in 2003-2005, Analytics Essential

involved.

Courses in 2011 while renaming the Data and

IIITB also hosts MOSIP (Modular Open Source

Information Stream as Data Science in the same year, and

Identity Project), which is designed to make software

launched the Online PGP on Analytics in collaboration

tools available under an Open Source Framework for

with upGrad in 2016.

identity management for any government, the same way Aadhaar is working in India since 2009. MOSIP

Envisioning the Future of Education

has been postponed for the last thirteen months due

Prof. Chandrashekar believes that Analytics Education

to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. This

will dramatically expand in the next five years, as the

project is funded by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation,

demand for people who strive for domain knowledge will

Omidyar Network and TATA Sons with projects that

leverage Analytics expertise.

are underway in Morocco, the Philippines and Sri Lanka.

Transformational Roadmap to Analytics and Big Data The primary motive of the Analytics and Data Science

Overcoming Challenges Through Understanding

Programmes conducted by IIITB is to bridge the gap

Trends

between the demand in the IT sector and the supply of IT

According to Prof. Chandrashekar any educational

experts. IIITB is now offering a unique consulting-led

institute that wants to become the premier institute in

training programme besides the research-led education

the country has to negotiate with numerous roadblocks

to the students. This new programme will deliver sector-

on the way to success. The prime challenge includes

specific data science programmes for organisations that

attracting and retaining the top-notch faculty, who in

have a long-term commitment to enlighten the skills of

turn will attract the best students across the country.

employees with appropriate training.

52

Most Acknowledged Data Science Institute Offering Comprehensive Data Science Courses

D

ata has become an important part of

roles by leveraging their own domain knowledge and work experience at an affordable cost.

everybody's life. Without data there is

nothing. Data mining for digging insights has

Data Science Courses

marked the demand for gaining knowledge of using data

Presently, Learnbay is offering six different data science

for business strategies. Data science is not limited to only

courses as follows:

consumer goods or tech or healthcare. There is a high

Business Analytics and Data Analytics Programs for

demand to optimize business processes using data

working professionals with 1+ years of experience in any

science from banking and transport to manufacturing.

domain.

Therefore, the field of data science is growing with

Course duration: 5 months with 200+ hours of classes.

increasing demand.

Project: 1 Capstone project and more than 7 real-time

Learnbay Data Science Institute, is one of the 10 Most

projects.

Prominent Analytics and Data Science Institute of 2021,

Course Fee: 50,000 INR

which offers multiple certification programs and data science courses.

Data Science and AI Certification for working professionals with 1+ years working experience in any

Developing Analytical and Technical Skills

domain

The institute aims at securing working

Course duration: 7 months with 200+ hours of classes.

professionals' careers by assisting them in

Project: 2 Capstone projects and more than 12 real-time

developing analytical and technical skills. This will enable

projects.

them to make a transition into high-growth analytical job

Course Fee: 59,000 INR

56

Krishna Kumar Founder Learnbay, Data Science Institute

57

“ “Future analytics education is going to be more dependent on big data technology, about 60% of the data science job roles will demand core big data knowledge by the end of 2026”.

- Krishna Kumar Founder Learnbay, Data Science Institute

www.learnbay.co

58

AI and ML Certification to Become AI Expert in Product

Key Features of Learnbay Courses

Based MNCs for working professionals with 4+ years of

Ÿ

working experience in the technical domain

1to1 learning supports via complete live interactive classes, additional discussion sessions, etc.

Course duration: 9 months with 260+ hours of classes.

Ÿ

24/7 instant tech support.

Project: 2 Capstone projects and more than 12 real-time

Ÿ

Regularly updated learning modules.

projects.

Ÿ

Flexible instalment options for course fees.

Course Fee: 75,000 INR

Ÿ

Lifetime free access to the premium learning materials and recorded videos of the attended

Data Science and AI Certification for Managers and Leaders with 8 to 15 years of working experience in any

classes. Ÿ

Hands-on live industrial project-based learning.

domain Course duration: 11 months with 300+ hours of classes.

About the Initiator

Project: 3 Capstone projects and more than 15 real-time

Krishna Kumar, the Founder of Learnbay, has observed

projects.

the data-related job market for different industries as

Course Fee: 75,000 INR

well as the data science training platforms very closely.

He founded Learnbay in 2015. Although he started his

Job Guarantee or Money Back | Data Science & AI

journey with Learnbay as a founder, he worked for the

Certification Course for working professionals with 2 to

institute from the very grassroots. To understand

8 years of experience in technical

students' expectations, he took classes, conducted

Course duration: 9 months with 300+ hours of classes.

career counselling sessions and provided personalized

Project: 2 Capstone projects and more than 12 real-time

doubt clearance assistance by himself. During that time,

projects.

he worked with the motto of staying connected with his

Course Fee: 95,000 INR.

students directly and revealed many of the hidden facts of the data science training business/ teaching platforms.

Industrial Training in AI and Data Science for Fresh

He found that most of his students having doubts

Graduates

concerning the efficacy of data science courses available

Course duration: 4 months with 200+ hours of classes.

in the market from the perspective of learning supports-

Project: 1 Capstone project and more than 7 real-time

even after paying a fair amount of course fees. They came

projects. Besides, there is a 6-month

to the institute with the hope of a complete industry-

internship program.

grade data science learning experience with dedicated

Course Fee: 39,999 INR.

learning support at affordable prices.

59

He started focusing on the efficacy of learning assistance

Ÿ

and placement support of his institute's courses from that time. Within one year, the institute got many

Its placement assistance helps in securing a student's first data science job.

Ÿ

It offers the flexibility of attending multiple sessions

impressive responses from the students.

of the same modules instructed by different

Even though he has plenty of expert faculties (trainers,

instructors for better understanding.

counsellors, project organizers, etc) today, still at some level, he maintains direct interaction with each of the

Internships and Placements

Learnbay students.

Each of Learnbay's data science and AI courses

Based on their feedback, he keeps updating, altering and

isare associated with highly credible capstone projects.

upgrading the institute's learning modules,

While the fresh graduates are offered 6 months of data

teaching approaches, and learning supports.

science internships along with job assistance, the experienced professionals are provided with the

Personalized Data Science Career Counselling

flexibility of bringing their project ideas. Every student

The edge of the institute's Analytics and Data Science

gets the placement support until they get valuable

Program over other institutes in the industry is owing to

places.

the following factors:

The institute's instructors, who are all 6+ years

Ÿ

Ÿ

60

Instead of a generalized course, the institute offers

experienced industry leads and domain experts, guide

different courses according to Student'stheir

the students to execute the ideas into practical

personal career needs.

applications with their domain knowledge, working

It offers personalized data science career counselling

experience and valuable data sets as well as resources.

to help a student in investing in the course that best

However, all the students get encouragement on doing

his present working experience and future growth.

unique projects. Therefore, doing practice work on

already existing projects is not entertained. The institute

India, like Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi, Mumbai,

provides the students with premium access to cloud labs

etc.

where they can learn the real-time industrial process of

The course review of Learnbay is 4.8 on Google.

data processing, data mining, data analysis, etc.

Foreign University Certification, a Key Challenge Training on Analytical Tools

Initially, the students were showing more interest infor

For data analytics, Learnbay trains the students with the

foreign university certification tag, even if they had to

most advanced and trending BI tools like Power BI, IBM

pay three times more the actual fees.

Cognos, etc. Although it gives more important analytical

But as mentioned earlier, the key mission of the institute

tools-based training before heading into the tools, its

is to offer the appropriate learning guide to the career

course impressively covers thecoversthe fundamental

transformation seeker and not to confuse or divert the

studies of data mining, data modelling, data

students with decorative and eye-catching staff. In the

visualizations too. In one word, the course helps the

real-world data science job market, what matters only is

students to understand the growth and transformation

the hands-on experience and project work. Recruiters

of analytics from scratch.

are not even interested in the student certification tag.

The institute has even addressed the importance of big

So, the institute keeps enriching the course efficacy from

data education in today's analytical world. So, the

the hands-on learning perspective and project works

institute is planning to launch a big data specialized

without focusing on the certification tag. Its efforts got

course soon. But with immediate effect, the institute has

rewarded with the IBM collaboration. From last year, the

already updated its courses with big data tools training

scenario has entirely changed. The continuous success

like MongoDB and Hadoop.

of the students and plenty of available data science job market analytical insight now support its training

Notable Awards and Achievements

approach. Although plenty of competitors started

This year (2021), Learnbay is stepping into the successful

providing such university tags, still it's not effective

journey of a total of 5 years.

for its colossal student base.

Within these five years, it has grown a lot and currently holds an excellent reliability percentage from data

The Future of Big Data Analytics

science aspirants/training seekers. In the last five years,

Future analytics education is going to be more

the institute has earned highly positive responses and

dependent on big data technology. According to Krishna

feedback from students, professionals, and new data

Kumar, the founder, about 60% of the data science job

science aspirants.

roles will demand core big data knowledge by the end of

Leranbay has already achieved industrial collaboration

2026.

from the IT giant, IBM.

At present, aspirants can step into the entry-level data

It got placed in the top seven data science institutes

science job role with basic statistical and analytical tools-

listed by Whatsaftercollege.com. The institute ranked 3

based training. But within the next three years, such

for Bangalore and 1 for Chennai locations.

training will need excellent statistical and big data

Even being a Bangalore-based organization, it got

analytics knowledge. Hence, Learnbay has already

massive recognition across the different metro cities of

started planning its future courses accordingly.

61

Revolutionizing the Healthcare Industry with Data Science Education

M

eharry Medical College, is one of the oldest

Inspiring Data Scientists

and largest historically black academic

The mission of the School of Applied Computational

health science centers in the US to educate

Sciences, is to advance scholarship in key domains of

physicians, dentists, researchers, and health policy

computational sciences by innovating through academic

experts. It was founded by Samuel Meharry and his four

excellence and impactful research, connecting to key

brothers in 1876 in Nashville, Tennessee as the first-ever

healthcare industries, businesses, influencers as well as

medical college for African-Americans. Meharry

thought leaders in the areas of computational science

provides a medical school, dental school, graduate school

and serving society at large.

and the recently launched the School of Applied

The School became the fourth school of Meharry

Computational Sciences. It is also home to the Center for

Medical College in February 2021. It extends Meharry's

Health Policy and produces the public health journal,

immense impact in healthcare and public health by

known as the Journal of Health Care for the Poor and

applying Data Science in research as well as integrating it

Undeserved. The College receives more than 10,000

into and also through its academic programs that equip

applications for admissions to all degree programs..

future Black data scientists.

Analytics Insight spoke to Fortune Mhlanga, the founding Dean of the Meharry's School of Applied

Exclusive Degrees to Adapt with the Data-driven

Computational Sciences, to enlighten us on the

Environment

importance of a Data Science degree in this data-driven

The Meharry's School of Applied Computational

environment, to transform the healthcare system for the

Sciences offers a Master's of Science in Data Science and

betterment of society.

a Master's of Science in Biomedical Data Science. It also offers graduate certificates in Data Science and

62

Fortune S. Mhlanga Founding Dean School of Applied Computational Sciences

63

“ “At Meharry's School of Applied Computational Sciences, our industryrelevant academic programs and innovative research come together to provide real-world experiences for students while also serving to enhance the health care, tech and business communities.”

- Fortune S. Mhlanga Founding Dean School of Applied Computational Sciences

WWW.sacsmeharr y.org

64

Biomedical Data Science, as well as a SAS Academic Specialization in Data Wrangling. These programmes are held in online mode.

In addition to encompassing all aspects of data science, the academic programme is built for the practical experience of participants and emphasizes the development of communication and presentation skills that are necessary for a team-based data-driven economic environment. There are interactive classes to ensure a better understanding from the faculty, course materials, especially classmates. The coursework concludes with a comprehensive real-world and industry-type capstone that is oriented towards the domain of interest.

Students in both master's programs learn in-demand skills to be successful in their data science career--computer programming languages such as Python, R, SQL, and SAS as well as data collection, aggregation, analysis, pattern recognition, and visualization.

The M.S. Data Science curriculum includes all important aspects of data science for the participants such as mainstream computer programming for data science, statistical inference and decision modeling, Big data management and analytics, artificial intelligence and computational machine learning, natural language processing and text analytics, predictive modeling and analytics, visualization and unstructured data analysis, data conscientiousness and ethics of data science.

The curriculum of the M.S. Biomedical Data Science includes specialized tracks in precision medicine informatics and population health informatics as well as important aspects such as computational software engineering, GIS algorithms for healthcare analytics, biostatistics, and all other subjects from the M.S. Data Science.

Dedicated Efforts of the Eminent Dean Fortune Mhlanga, is the Founding Dean of the School of Applied Computational Sciences who oversees the strategies and execution of student and faculty recruitment, academic programmes, industry and research partnerships as well as growth. Being an experienced advocate in the computational sciences space, Mhlanga led the effort to establish the College of Computing and Technology at Lipscomb University and developed similar programmes at other institutions such as Faulkner University and the Scientific and Industrial Research and Development Centre in Zimbabwe.

Programs Feature Real-World Experience The programmes are offered online with a blend of recorded lectures and interactive class discussions.

Students still receive practical experiences with these additional flexibilities. The School of Applied Computational Sciences has established relationships

65

with Nashville's dynamic healthcare, tech and business

Network (CNN) to identify measles rash and develop a

communities that open doors for students to gain hands-

smartphone application to assist physicians and patients

on experience by solving real-life complex problems and

in the diagnosis of the disease. They are also supporting

partnering with faculty on research projects.

work to examine the social determinants of health with an aim to refine the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) to

Manifesting Growth in Professional Career

inform the understanding of COVID-19 disparities and

The students get full exposure to the real-life work

the potential influence on vaccine acceptance.

environment by solving complicated sets of problems presented by partners in Nashville's healthcare, tech

Blend of Real-time and Clinical Data: Saving Patients

and business communities. The school also encourages

The School of Applied Computational Sciences is

students to work with faculty on some important

applying Data Science to data from mHealth apps for

research projects to have a better understanding of the

early detection and prediction of disease efficiently. The

real-life data science work ecosystem.

streaming data can provide a health graph of an individual in almost real-time after combining it with

Leveraging Technology for the Betterment of Society

clinical data. The information is highly valuable to

The research and development enterprise of the School

healthcare decision-making processes by providing early

of Applied Computational Sciences partners with

insights into complex life-threatening diseases,

Meharry Medical College faculty and the members of the

proactive treatment, highly personalised care and is

healthcare, technological as well as business

useful for critical care patients and in emergency

communities to develop impactful and socially

situations.

responsible scientific knowledge and practical technologies to enhance the standard of living of the

Vivid Impression of Data Science

society.

Data science is an in-demand profession with rewarding

There are immense contributions from the school to

salaries for employees who have sufficient knowledge of

improve healthcare by applying Data Science. The school

p r o g ra m m i n g l a n g u a g e s , d a t a c o l l e c t i o n a n d

is representing Meharry on the COVID-19 Consortium

engineering, artificial intelligence, machine learning,

of HCA Healthcare and Academia for Research

statistical inference, and data visualisation. Data science

Generation (CHARGE). They join faculty from Columbia,

is transforming multiple industries across the world and

Duke, Johns Hopkins, the Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare

making drug discovery quicker, cheaper and more

Institute and many other institutions for research on

effective. There is a remarkable improvement in

HCA's extensive COVID-19 patient datasets to pursue

personalised medicine and treatment. That being said,

improvements in COVID-19 diagnosis and treatment

data science is a great discipline to study that creates

options.

unlimited opportunities to enhance society and to

The School is leveraging a deep Convolutional Neural

experience a successful career.

66

DATA SCIENCE AND DATA ENGINEERING

CAN BENEFIT BOTH COMPANIES AND EMPLOYEES

70

I

t is a truth universally acknowledged that data is the

engineering can professionally tackle the inflow of data.

most crucial limb of a company or a successful

Besides creating job opportunities for data scientists and

business organization. Precisely, data exists in vast

data engineers to handle mountains of data, the

quantities and one of the most challenging tasks is to

company can also make space for more value-added

manage it. Data is important because it is data that

activities such as employee and client relationship

wheels a company towards prosperity by generating

making, improving work environment, and improving PR

significant insights. This need of data management

activities.

pitches the need for data science and data engineering.

The role of data science is also inclusive of several other

A rise in the demand for data management also

roles of data analyst, data visualization, and machine

complements the rise in demand for data science and

learning. Hence, there are several opportunities for the

data engineering jobs. The hyper-modern world has

ones who are passionate about data dealing in any form.

birthed technology enthusiasts who live to attach unique

It is a prejudice that one needs to hold certificates from

dimensions to data management by acquiring degrees in

reputed colleges to procure a place in a business

data science and data engineering.

organization. On the contrary, it is the skill only that

Business organizations that have adopted and

matters and will make a difference in the company.

integrated data science in their business have

Following this, the internet turns out to be a gold mine of

experienced immense growth. Around 84% of the

course on data science and engineering for the ones who

companies, irrespective of their sizes, have adopted data

wish to upskill their career in data. In a world today

science. Proper data management is always synonymous

where social distancing and work from home are the

to a smooth business infrastructure. However, it is also

primary norms, courses on data science and data

important to understand the importance of data science

engineering are provided online.

integration into an organization because over 75% of

This drives us to the conclusion that the roles of data

data in companies are disorganized and unstructured.

science and data engineering holds more potential than

Companies receive an avalanche of data on a daily basis.

what we perceive of them. Data scientists and data

Companies with poor data management face unwanted

engineers are often deemed as the pillars of a business

frictions resulting in the downfall of the company.

organization.

Hiring people who are adept in data science and data 71

Bridging Industry Gap with Up-To-Date Curriculum in Data Science and Analytics

T

he University of Miami, Patti and Allan Herbert

Transforming Society with Business Ideas

Business School is world-known for

Miami Herbert Business School, was founded in 1929 as

revolutionary thinking and principled leadership

a leader in preparing individuals and organisations to

st

to redefine business education in the 21 century. The

excel in the complex, dynamic and interconnected world

university believes that principled leaders should apply

of global business. It is dedicated to develop innovative

the concepts of sustainable growth, equitable

ideas and principled leaders that transform global

development as well as an ethical business. Miami

business and society. The Business School is determined

Herbert Business School has earned accreditation from

to bridge a gap across borders, tackling fundamental

the Southern Association of Colleges; Schools

business and social challenges as well as fostering

Commission on Colleges and Association to Advance

entrepreneurship across the region. It offers multiple

Collegiate Schools of Business; EQUIS, which recognizes

degrees to students such as undergraduate business,

business schools that are trying to make an impact

full-time MBA, executive MBA, doctoral programmes,

beyond their domestic frontier; and the Education

non-degree executive education programmes and

Quality Accreditation Agency (EQUAA), whose mission

specialised 10-month master's programmes in

is to increase the academic quality of programs,

accounting, business analytics, finance, health

institutes, careers, faculties and universities, and other

administration, international business, leadership,

educational units in Latin America and the world.

taxation as well as a sustainable business.

Dr. Doug Lehmann, Associate Professor of Professional

Miami Herbert Business School, has a mission to develop

Practice and Director, Master of Science in Business

innovative ideas and principled leaders that transform

Analytics, had a conversation on behalf of The University

global business and society. The school is a thought

of Miami Herbert Business School and enlightened us on

leader, that redefines business knowledge and practice

how the Business School is dedicated to create an up-to-

in the broadest possible terms, shapes business

date curriculum that is in sync with the fast-paced

scholarship and how business is conceived to set a

evolving industry.

standard for business education.

72

Dr. Doug Lehmann Associate Professor of Professional Practice and Director, Master of Science in Business Analytics Miami Herbert Business School

73

“ “The business analytics program at Miami Herbert strives to blend the theory and practice of analytics and data science while empowering students to develop data-driven business solutions. We are developing the leaders of the future.”

- Dr Doug Lehmann Associate Professor of Professional Practice and Director, Master of Science in Business Analytics Miami Herbert Business School

WWW.herber t .miami.edu

74

Eminent Professor with Rich Knowledge

Science and machine learning while some other students

Dr Doug Lehmann, teaches Data Science and Analytics at

select application areas like consulting, finance,

different levels in the Business School. He considers

technology, or marketing.

himself to be a professor first and a lifelong learner

The curriculum culminates with a required course in

because a never-ending self-study is essential to adapt to

experiential learning. This is provided through an

the fast-changing and evolving field. This feature has

internship or capstone project where students are

originally attracted him to the current position.

required to work through a real business problem with

Dr Lehmann, has served as a Director of the MSBA

an employer as a partner. This real-world experience is an

programme and the Deloitte Institute for Research and

integral component of student learning, allowing them to

Practice in Analytics (DIRPA). He is deeply involved in

use the classroom methods as well as utilize those in

curriculum development and coordinating experiential

solving complicated business problems.

learning opportunities. The Advisory Council provides

Miami Herbert Business School, provides a hands-on

tremendous help on both issues. The insights give the

approach within a classroom environment. Students

faculty an insider's look at industry trends that are

need to work with data every day to implement and

incorporated into the curriculum to ensure satisfying the

interpret various analytics methods. Performance is

needs of the market.

often assessed through course projects that emphasize

DIRPA, was launched with a gift from Deloitte that allows

applications, interpretation, and communication of

the council members to complement the curriculum with

complex analytical models, rather than written

mentorship opportunities, workshops, preparations for

examinations. These projects are run in conjunction with

multiple industry certifications, industry speaker series,

an industry partner as hackathon style competitions.

a student analytics club, and many more. DIRPA also supports faculty research or training in analytics through

Competitive Edge in Miami

various funding opportunities and research awards. The

The location provides a competitive edge to Miami

practical training has an immediate effect on the

Herbert Business School's MS in Business Analytics

curriculum of Miami Herbert Business School.

programme. It is located at the crossroads of America as well as capitalizing on Miami's current situation with the

Up-to-Date Curriculum in Data Science

FinTech migration. The start-up community in Miami is

The MS in Business Analytics (+MSBA) programme,

thriving. The international diversity of the student

maintains a dynamic curriculum that blends the theory

population and faculty adds a rich texture to the learning

and application of analytics and Data Science with

experience in a top business school in America.

elective space for specialization in an area of interest.

The up-to-date curriculum is ever-changing to meet the

The core coursework tends to be rigorous with topics in

demands of the industry with the help of employer

computing and data visualization, optimization,

partners. The curriculum empowers students to make

predictive analytics, and machine learning. It is also

principled and data-inspired business decisions. Miami

focused on communication and career development, all

Herbert Business School maintains a student-first

with an eye on developing business solutions and

mindset with an active faculty committed to ensuring the

delivering value to today's employer.

best experiences for the students. The engaged alumni

Students are encouraged to utilize the elective space to

are eager to connect with students as well as a career and

tailor their curriculum to diverse career goals in the

professional development programme designed to help

future. Some students opt for a deeper dive into Data

students improve in a marketplace. These multiple

75

efforts have led to several world rankings for the

The Business school is proud of the career success that

programme.

the graduates have had as well as the employer feedback.

Julio Albornoz, Manager at KLX Aerospace (now Boeing)

Experiential Learning over Traditional Learning

mentioned, “We made the decision to hire [your student,

Some things are difficult for teachers to replicate in a

Jiachen]. She was far and away the best candidate and I

classroom environment. Experiential learning is

look forward to working with her and getting my team to

integrated into the curriculum for practical experience. It

the next level. You guys are doing a great job with these

is mandatory for students to complete an analytics

students.”

internship or capstone project. This experience is essential for students to develop and observe analytics in

Adapting to Industry Needs

action while solving real-life problems. A good project

Industry moves faster than academia and analytics is

enhances the technical skills as well as the business

evolving rapidly. Miami Herbert Business School, is

acumen and communication of students.

committed to keeping an up-to-date and relevant curriculum that stays in tune with the current industry

Data: Inspiring the Future

demands. This requires a faculty to continuously learn

Data inspires each and every student and faculty in

new tools and technologies. This learning lesson can be a

Miami Herbert Business School. Recently, Ginger Baxter

challenging yet fun one.

who is the Assistant Dean of Career Advancement spoke at the inaugural Data Science Connect Conference for

Analytics Education: Revolutionising with

K12 education. Nearly 800 high school students showed

Specialisations

up to learn about Data Science and lucrative career

The strong demand from the industry for professionals

opportunities in the field.

skilled in data and analytics with the ability to translate to the business case will continue to push analytics

Prominent Recognition through Students

education forward. Analytics education will expand into

The MSBA programme, was recognised for its creative

other programmes while becoming a mainstay in

and innovative approach to preparing students for their

traditional business areas like finance, accounting and

future careers by merging science and analytics.

marketing. The need for professionals competent in

C h a s e D r e a m ra n ke d t h e s p e c i a l i s e d m a s t e r ' s

working with data is growing outside of traditional

programme tied for eighth (up to three slots from the

Data Science and analytics roles. The programmes will

previous year) and among the 10 best in the world to

distinguish themselves by specialising in multiple areas

teach students how to translate abstract data into

of the Data Science pipeline due to the maturity and job

meaningful information in predicting consumer

roles being defined and specialised.

behaviour, revenue and expenses.

76

An Emerging EdTech Platform for Aspirants of Today and Tomorrow

S

killslash Academy is known as an online training

and data structures for working professionals to help

company with a vision to help talented aspirants

them shift into the analytics domain with utmost

and working professionals strive for success. The

proficiency. They also provide courses for young

platform is focused on providing radical courses in some

graduates, guiding them with proper assistance and

major disruptive technologies such as analytics, artificial

application-based programmes.

intelligence, deep learning and machine learning. It

The mission is to create a well-grounded online platform

offers quality coaching with practical training in real-life

for data science aspirants, a place where they get to

projects.

upskill professionally by working on analytical skills,

Here is an interview of Rahul Kashyap, CEO and Co-

techniques and get real-time project experience with

Founder of Skillslash Academy who elaborates the

start-ups working in the relevant space. There are a lot of

utilitarian practices of the academy to provide multiple

youngsters trying to nest their future in the analytics

courses for students and working professionals, even in

field, but due to the lack of the right assistance and

unprecedented times.

guidance, they are muddled. A foremost priority at Skillslash is to help the workforce of the country by

Empowering Next Generation with Professional

offering professional guidance and efficient industry

Guidance

blended programs. Affordability, but not at the expense

Skillslash Academy is an emerging EdTech company

of quality is one of their guiding principles.

offering courses in data science, artificial intelligence

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Rahul Kashyap CEO and Co-Founder Skillslash Academy

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“ “For a long time, businesses have stressed on the alienation of academic curriculum from industry needs. We at Skillslash are working to bridge this very gap. Education coupled with “on the job” experience is the need of the hour.”

- Rahul Kashyap CEO and Co-Founder Skillslash Academy

www.skillslash.com

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Engaging Curriculum for Digital Learning

services of Skillslash went online, the platform is serving

The programmes at Skillslash lay a huge emphasis on an

aspirants and students in huge numbers.

application-based style of learning through practical and engaging methods. To hold onto the essence of an

Ground-Breaking Attributes for Industry-Driven

engaging environment in a classroom, the company

Motive

conducts all sessions in live and interactive instructor-

The professional training space is a growing market

led classes. Live training sessions are a better mode of

segment with a lot of players involved. Skillslash has been

learning due to the consistent interaction between

able to make an impact with a few refreshing changes

trainers and students. Recorded videos can get a little

that make the platform unique and industry-driven.

boring, while instructor-led sessions can be quite

There are a couple of ground-breaking features that they

engaging with smaller cohort sizes.

have come up with, making them an ideal choice for the professional market:

A Doyen in Data Science: Wise Mentor Rahul Kashyap, Co-Founder of Skillslash, is passionate

Build your own course: A first of its kind, this feature

about bringing quality and affordable education to all

makes Skillslash the only platform that creates tailor-

segments of the professional workforce. He graduated

made and customized learning tracks for all their

from IIT Kharagpur with a Master's in Economics. A data

learners. They believe that a “one fits all” approach is not

scientist by profession, but a teacher at heart, has helped

suitable for learning the data science stack. A person

him envision a platform which in his own words is “an

with five years of experience in production planning and

ideal blend of academia and industry training”. He has

management v/s a person with ten years of experience in

mentored thousands of professionals in the last four

a software architect role needs to approach this science

years by helping them carve out a niche for themselves in

differently. Other programmes have a standard track

the data science field.

that is offered to all the learners, unlike Skillslash. On top

The journey of Skillslash emanates an authentic

of that even with the customized tracks, all the modules

intention of making education affordable, genuine and

are delivered in live instructor-led sessions instead of

unadulterated. In the beginning, the EdTech platform

recordings.

had its services offline, the team of Skillslash moved across cities to reach out to the students at different

Project certification: The world has heard about course

colleges to offer them free training sessions on analytical

certifications that are commonly provided at every

concepts. Due to the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic,

institute including Skillslash. But along with course

Skillslash had to move its services online. Ever since the

certification, Skillslash also provides project certification

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to the students. Project certification is a perfect example

Triumphs for Imparting Technical Knowledge

of practical learning. As part of the programme, learners

Skillslash was confirmed by CE Worldwide & SPOCS

get to work on live projects with start-ups. This is virtual

Global to have been selected for the award of 'Most

freelance work that can be done outside of the full-time

Admired & Preferred EdTech Unicorn for their Ground-

roles that professionals are working in during the course

Breaking & Innovative Technology' for the year 2021.

of the programme. At the end of the project, learners get

The academy has created nothing less than any wonder

a project experience certificate from the start-up that

by imparting knowledge to over 10,000 aspirants in only

they have worked with and giving them real credibility.

the first four months of its online service.

This work experience is much more useful for professionals as compared to academic degrees.

Confronting the Pandemic: A Blessing in Disguise

Professionals are judged on the skills that they have, not

At the earlier stage, Skillslash Academy began with

where they acquired it from.

offline training. The team had to move to different cities

The data science space has been in a unique phase for the

to reach out to students at their college to inspire and

last five years, with an asymmetric demand and supply

educate them on analytics concepts like Python,

situation. Demand is much higher than the supply of

statistics, math, SQL, etc. Since it was offline, the mission

trained data scientists. Skillslash has been contributing

to reach out to the maximum number of aspirants was

to strengthening the entire ecosystem with the training

restricted, but the COVID-19 pandemic made the team

being tailored to match industry requirements. Students

take the services online. That change proved to be a

have joined the workforce in different kinds of data

blessing in disguise, as inside only four months of going

science roles and the team continues to bring the most

online the academy was successful in educating and

needed skills to professional upskilling programmes.

building awareness across more than 10,000 college grads and professionals.

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