SAS Specializations in Sunway University: A Pathway to Data Science Excellence
The demand for skilled professionals in data science is on the rise. Yet, traditional academic approaches often fall short in providing students with the practical experience and industry-relevant skills needed to excel in this field. In this article, we understand more from an interesting interview with Professor Dr. Angela Lee Siew Hoong, Associate Dean (Employability & Engagement) School of Engineering and Technology, Sunway University, Malaysia. Dr. Angela Lee shares insights into how Sunway University is addressing this challenge through its partnership with SAS and the integration of specialized SAS tools and certifications into its curriculum.
Integrating Practical Learning with SAS Specializations
At Sunway University, the philosophy of education extends beyond traditional classroom lectures. Professor Dr. Angela Lee Siew Hoong emphasizes the importance of providing students with interactive and practical learning experiences. She stresses the necessity for students to work with real-world data sets and industry-standard tools, rather than solely relying on theoretical knowledge from textbooks.
"My thoughts on this area is that with the ever-growing number of students and also the talents that we are receiving from them, I think that they should very much have an interactive and practical learning experience. Especially, each student needs to have at least some real datasets to play around with."
- Interactive Learning: Sunway University integrates real-world data sets and industry tools like SAS into its curriculum to provide students with hands-on learning experiences.
- Industry Collaboration: Collaborate with industry partners to expose students to real-world projects and challenges.
- SAS Certification: Offer SAS certifications to students, enhancing their employability and showcasing their proficiency in advanced analytics.
Empowering Students with SAS Specializations
With the SAS Global Academic Program, Sunway University gives students many different SAS tools and certifications for different types of data science jobs. From SAS Enterprise Guide to SAS Text Mining and Sentiment Analysis, students gain proficiency in tools essential for analyzing and interpreting data effectively.
"SAS itself has been a player in the field of data science, and they have been very, very supportive to our development of curriculum with our students."
Comprehensive Curriculum: Offer specialized courses in data analytics, business analytics, and statistics, integrated with SAS tools and certifications.
Hands-on Training: Provide students with practical training in SAS tools through projects and competitions like the SAS Curiosity Cup.
Employability Enhancement: Partner with SAS and industry leaders to enhance students' employability through internships and recruitment drives.
Future Prospects and Opportunities
Looking ahead, Professor Dr. Angela Lee Siew Hoong highlights the importance of embracing emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and Gen AI. She emphasizes the need to adapt curriculum to incorporate AI advancements and address ethical considerations and data security concerns.
"For the foreseeable future, Integrating AI into university curricula ensures that students are equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in industries increasingly reliant on AI technologies."
In summary, Sunway University working with SAS is changing how we learn about data science. They help students learn by doing real things, using special SAS tools, and teaming up with businesses. This helps students get good at data science. Sunway University is also preparing students for the future by teaching about AI and data ethics, making sure they're ready for the jobs of tomorrow.
