Empowering tomorrow's analytics professionals with SAS Viya - A conversation with Dr Adnan Balloch

[#1]

 

In the last in this current series, I speak to Dr Adnan Balloch, a Senior Lecturer in Finance at Massey University, New Zealand about empowering tomorrow's analytics professionals with SAS Viya.

Ian Edwards: As a senior lecture in Finance at Massey University, how do you prepare students to thrive in a rapidly evolving data driven world?

Dr Adnan Balloch: I have always believed that analytics education must strike a balance between technical capability and critical thinking, as well as ethical awareness and business fluency. Over the years, I’ve developed a deep interest in evidence-driven strategic intelligence – understanding how data, when used responsibly, can transform decision-making across industries. As AI becomes increasingly embedded in business operations, the way we teach analytics must evolve accordingly. This evolution is essential to developing a workforce that can design, deploy and manage intelligent systems with both confidence and integrity.

Ian Edwards: What is the role of technology and how have you integrated SAS Viya into the learning experience?

Dr Adnan Balloch: At Massey University, our business analytics programs aim to provide students with firsthand experience of the tools and technologies they will encounter in the workforce. To achieve this, I’ve integrated SAS Viya as a core platform within both our Bachelor’s and Master’s programs. The emphasis is on teaching students not just about technical skills, but also about analytics fluency – so that students can seamlessly move between data science logic, business context, and ethical impact.

SAS Viya provides a cloud-native, scalable and enterprise-ready environment where students can build, deploy, and interpret analytics solutions end-to-end. It allows them to experience the full analytics life cycle – from data preparation to model deployment and interpretation – within a single, professional-grade platform.

Then we work together to apply what they learn to real-world use cases they may encounter in their professional careers. This can include applying analytics to personalising offers for retailers, using analytics for forecasting, risk analysis and more.

Ian Edwards: Tell us about the future ready analytics talent that this approach delivers.

Dr Adnan Balloch: This shift has been personally rewarding for three reasons. Firstly, students in the courses become empowered to think like designers of intelligent systems – not just users of statistical models. The result is that they are graduating with an understanding of the entire analytics life cycle. 

Secondly, it means that graduates are well-placed to bridge the gap between technical complexity and business clarity – a key skill that can take graduates into boardrooms during their career. 

Finally, it is future-proofing graduates not just for the workforce of today, but for years to come. The future belongs to analytics translators and SAS Viya helps our students become exactly that: capable, adaptive and future-ready.

Empowering tomorrow's analytics professionals

Dr Adnan champions an educational model where technology and context converge to produce analytics professionals capable of responsible, impactful decision-making in the age of AI. Central to this approach are:

• Enhanced analytical design thinking: Graduates learn to think like creators of intelligent systems, rather than simply users of analytical tools.

• Bridging technical and business domains: Students gain the ability to translate complex analytics into clear business value—a skill increasingly demanded at senior levels.

• Future-ready capabilities: The integration of SAS Viya equips students with the adaptability and confidence needed for evolving roles in the global workforce, positioning them as effective “analytics translators.”

 This hands-on exposure, coupled with real-world use cases, helps students translate theoretical knowledge into practical insights.

  Dr. Adnan Balloch is a Senior Lecturer in Finance at Massey University, New Zealand. Adnan leads analytics education initiatives and research in business analytics. His work focuses on the intersection of operations, data science, and the responsible implementation of AI. His passion, prepare students to thrive in a rapidly evolving, data-driven world.