SAS and North West University (NWU) have unveiled the SAS Advanced Analytics laboratory at the university's Centre for Business Mathematics and Informatics (BMI).
According to SAS, a business analytics software services and business intelligence vendor, the lab will allow students to enrol for an MSc BMI in Advanced Business Analytics. The degree will equip students with the skills needed to understand the role analytics can play in business decision-making and prepare them to become executives who can manage that function.
The students, SAS says, will be part of a multi-disciplinary team running industry projects that will cover market basket analysis, customer loyalty modelling, credit bureau data analysis and customer lifetime value modelling with companies such as Naspers, MTN, Absa, Nedbank and Real People.
"We realised from interaction with companies in SA that there is a need for the skilful application of advanced analytics in the business realm, including the associated advanced analytics application skills. Generally, those skills aren't being taught at local universities, and we want to be at the forefront of changing that," says Murray de Villiers, GM for the Middle East and Africa regional academic programme at SAS.
The industry projects will allow the students to work with industry professionals to analyse big data, unpack business issues and provide real-life solutions that can be implemented in companies.
"Given the size of the datasets and the complexity of the problems found in data-driven organisations, analytics professionals who have experience in the application of industry standard software technology are in great demand. These include data management, data visualisation, predictive analytics and reporting. Given our relationship with SAS, they were our natural choice for software technology," says Machiel Kruger, head of the SAS advanced analytics lab and professional masters programmes.
According to SAS, the programme is designed to take on board analytically talented students who will be able to obtain SAS accreditation within two weeks, putting them on par with industry professionals.
"There's no denying that, to compete in the modern marketplace, you have to be able to interpret massive amounts of data and be able to turn on a dime with your decision-making. It's very clear that, in business, if you're not using analytics, you're going to get left behind," Kruger concludes.
Seventeen students are signed up for the programme for 2013.
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