Public and Private Partners Open Big Data Hubs

Two countries have new centres devoted to business analytics this week: partners Deakin University and IBM have launched Australia's first while in Singapore, Accenture and the island state's government are opening an Innovation Center.

The new Centre for Excellence in Business Analytics founded by IBM and Deakin is part of an ongoing effort to expand and strengthen student skills and understanding of big data and analytics, itself driven by demand for the skills in Australian industry. The Centre is based at the University's Melbourne Campus on Elgar Road and will act as a springboard for the University's plans to deliver a suite of postgraduate programs in Business Analytics. IBM will offer certifications programs in Analytics through the Centre.

Deakin University's Vice-Chancellor Professor Jane den Hollander says the centre will give the University an edge over its competitors, and that the University 'aims to be in the forefront of using the digital enhancements to enable our staff and our students to be at the forefront of this exciting new field.'

Mike McKee, Business Analytics Business Unit Executive, IBM Australia and New Zealand, comments: 'Big data and the explosion of business information systems are creating more complex work environments. The Australian business leaders of tomorrow will need the skills and training to harness these information and technology tools to turn the data into business insights.'

IBM, which is working with more than 200 academic organisations around the world to strengthen analytics curricula to meet demand for highly skilled workers, will provide Deakin with faculty access to curriculum materials, project-focused case studies, and IBM thought leaders as guest speakers.


Meanwhile Accenture is collaborating with Singapore's Economic Development Board (EDB) on the opening of its new Analytics Innovation Center (AAIC), which will both develop assets and serve as a research and innovation hub.

The centre will focus on developing innovative approaches for the use of analytics in a wide range of public services including education, health, transportation and workforce effectiveness. Teo Lay Lim, Accenture's MD in Singapore and ASEAN, says the state is 'the ideal location for this new center because of the alignment with the country's focus on pioneering advances in innovation, driving competitive advantage for growth, and maintaining a high level of citizen engagement.' He adds: 'We believe that the intellectual property output from the center will enable a number of breakthrough solutions for our clients that will positively impact the lives of Singapore citizens.'

Other centres in Accenture's analytics network include Bangalore, Barcelona, Chicago, Dublin, Mumbai, New Delhi and San Jose, California.


Web sites: www.ibm.com/software/analytics , www.ibm.com/academicinitiative and www.accenture.com .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.