Experts agree that big data is here to stay. In fact, big data is getting bigger. So it isn’t surprising that Comp Sci departments in universities around the country are being encouraged to teach big data skills. But to teach big data, you need access to big data.
That’s where businesses can help.
According to Barb Wixom, associate professor of Commerce at the University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce, universities need access to real, big data sets. You need the real thing if you want to show students how the data explosion has affected modern commerce. You need actual big data to demonstrate the link between data and business outcomes.
But hiring recruiters say that students lack real world experience. To provide them with that experience, universities are working with businesses to bring actual big data sets into the classroom. More than that, they are providing real case studies, software, videos, and other modern tools, because a data set is not enough to teach with. You need real business problems for students to solve with that data.
Wixom noted that in 2007, there were only a dozen universities that offered any programs around analytics. Now, there are 131 offering actual degrees in analytics or business analytics. With the cooperation of businesses, these degrees will prepare students to handle the actual challenges companies face in the big data world.