Data Science Initiatives: The Way Forward for The Industry
Data science is a fast-growing field, with a large number of job opportunities. It has proven itself transformational for the industry with data-driven decision making. As the industry progresses toward better ways of decision-making, data science will grow stronger and better. Unfortunately, the supply of data science professionals hasn’t kept up with the demand, requiring educational institutions to step up their game.
Data science initiatives have emerged as part of the solution to meet the demands of the industry, playing a significant role in taking the data science industry to new heights. Data science industry is worth today$37.9 billion and is expected to reach $178 billion by 2025.
What is a data science initiative?
Data science education is becoming increasingly important for the industry. While universities, colleges, and other educational institutions have started regular degrees and courses, corporates are tying up with institutions to offer research-oriented and advance skill programs in data science and related discipline. As demand for data science professionals with advance skills is increasing to aid in artificial intelligence, IoT, and other advanced technologies, organizations require professionals who understand the nitty –gritty of data science and use it for the advantage of the company.
In the wake of the rising demand for data science professionals, global universities, colleges, and educational institutions have established data science initiatives. The initiatives offer bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs in the field of data science and related disciplines.
What’s more, the initiatives offer research and collaboration opportunities to students to learn the most in-demand skills and update themselves to the industry standards. Google, Adobe, Microsoft, Intuit, and similar tech giants are heavily invested in these programs.
Data science initiatives aim to —
1. Propagate data science education by offering research-oriented and/or accredited educational programs
2. Promote data science research
3. Advance data science industry by collaborating with corporate to invent new methods and technology
4. Build a pool of high caliber data science talent
Prominent Data Science Initiatives
1. World Data Science Initiative (WDSI) – The initiative is one of the world’s largest of its kind. WDSI collaborates with universities and colleges to offer data science education and offers up to USD 3,00,000 in subsidy. It aims to build a pool of 2,50,000 data science professionals. It assists universities to set an international center of excellence to promote data science research. In addition to research, the initiative offers data science accreditation from DASCA (Data Science Council of America) to build a pool of global credible data science professionals.
The initiative counts several global universities like Kenyan University, Central Methodist,
- Harvard University’s Data Science Initiative — The initiative offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs in data science and related disciplines. Further, the university has widespread cross research activities that revolve around advancing medicine, sciences, public health, humanities, and more.
- University of Florida – UoF boasts of the best data science initiatives in the world. The data science research lab at the university has several ongoing research projects in collaboration with Adobe, Google, DARPA, and other leading industry bodies.
- Stanford University’s Data Science Initiative – Being one of the top private universities in the world, the university has one of the top-notch data science initiatives with several ongoing research projects. The initiative promotes cross-collaboration among its various departments to advance applications of data science across various spheres of the industry.
Final Word
All in all, data science initiatives offer courses and programs to meet the need of data science education. Because data science is a component in the transformation of organizations, backed by research and collaboration, the initiatives are paving way for the advancement of the industry.
