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africa|building|business|financial|resources|risk-management|technology|solutions

SAS renews Global Academic Programme partnership with NWU

5th July 2022

By: Schalk Burger

Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

     

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Data science and analytics multinational SAS has renewed its Global Academic Programme (GAP) partnership with the North-West University (NWU) Centre for Business Mathematics and Informatics (BMI) for another five years, extending its impact in data skills development.

The partnership has seen more than 500 SAS-skilled students complete the centre’s BMI Masters programme since its inception and specialisations include business analytics, actuarial science, quantitative risk management and financial mathematics.

“The nature of work is changing, with the application of analytics capable of providing solutions to any question imaginable. We see it as part of our mission to grow the ecosystem of people capable of doing that work.

“Through partnerships like this one, we support growing a sustained pipeline of postgraduate data science skills to our customers and the local market,” says SAS GAP in Africa programme manager Andre Zitzke.

Further, the partnership not only develops data and analytics skills among students. It also enables educators to bridge the gap between academia and industry, he says.

“We help train faculties to deliver the latest in technology, but this is done in a collaborative, triangular approach that includes our customers. They, too, bring their top-tier research and professional talent to create practical experience programmes, technical experience programmes and professional networking,” Zitzke adds.

The partnership seeks to meet growing corporate demand for data and analytics skills, while supporting NWU in its objective to deliver highly skilled and employable graduates to the workforce. To this end, SAS provides the full stack of SAS Academic resources, open access to SAS Data Science software for teaching and research and sponsors the SASLab chair.

“NWU is the SAS Flagship University in South Africa and contributes thought-leadership to the global SAS Academic Network. We are proud of our achievements and of the ten specialisations we developed with SAS from undergraduate to master level, and we are committed to building on these further,” says Centre for BMI director Professor Helgard Raubenheimer.

“The NWU SASLab is the Big Data Science reference for universities in Africa and the Middle East, with a rich, peer-reviewed academic research output. It hosts one of the largest SAS Big Data installations in Africa for data science teaching and research and is available as a resource to other universities as well,” he adds.

Further, the Centre for BMI also actively engages and contributes to building programmes in the Middle East, Africa, Turkey and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

“More than 75% of the Centre for BMI’s Masters graduates are employed by SAS customers and partners in South Africa and abroad. Graduates with expertise in an industry standard like SAS, as well as open-source skills, stand out in the competitive job market.

“Digital credentials that validate expertise, augment and enhance degrees carry significant weight with savvy employers seeking people who can get the job done.

“The professional networking opportunities created by our triangular approach are crucial. Mentorship and career development are as important in the development of data professionals. When we expose young people to successful leaders in their career fields, we create a standard to emulate. This is what moulds the next generation of industry leaders across the world,” says Zitzke.

Edited by Chanel de Bruyn
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor Online

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