Enterprise IT vendor IBM today announced $100 million Big Data and Analytics skills creation program for China.
As per the IBM U-100 program, IBM will donate IBM BD&A software worth $100 million and provide expertise to support 100 universities in China.
The long term program aims to create the next generation of data scientists at three levels: set up BD&A Technology Centers in 100 universities, launch undergraduate and graduate programs in 30 universities and create a Center of Excellence at five universities.
IBM said the effort aims to reach 40,000 students per year to gain expertise in Big Data and Analytics, a skill increasingly in demand by employers in China.
The company has tied up with kaikeba.com to set up IBM Zone of Big Data and Analytics and provide Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) to prepare workforce with the skills and expertise needed to embrace big data.
CCID Consulting says the big data technology and services market in China will grow from $2.3 billion in 2014 to $8.7 billion in 2016 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 99.7 percent.
Under the IBM U-100 initiative, IBM will set up BD&A Technology Centers and provide technical training to professors and faculty, in areas ranging from information management, data mining, social media analytics and risk management.
To accelerate program development, IBM will also provide hands-on training, case studies, access to a wide spectrum of IBM’s Big Data and Analytics software, IBM thought leaders as guest lecturers, as well as faculty awards.
IBM has tied up with 7 universities such as Beijing Institute of Technology, Fudan University, Guizhou University, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Peking University, South China University of Technology and Xi’an Jiaotong University.
IBM plans to bring 40 new universities on board to this program by the end of this year.
By the time the IBM U-100 initiative is rolled out to all 100 universities in mid-2015, 40,000 students per year will be able to gain expertise in BD&A.
IBM will work with 30 universities to create new undergraduate and graduate degree programs for the in-demand Data Scientist and Chief Data Officer roles.
Through the U-100 collaboration, IBM will also help five universities set up a BD&A Center of Excellence on each campus.
