Professor Fred McBagonluri, the President of the Academic City University College, has called on stakeholders to harness the power of data science and analytics to unlock new frontiers of innovation and drive sustainable growth.
He said, “as we stand on the threshold of a new era of possibilities, let us embrace the opportunities that lie ahead with optimism and determination.”
Prof McBagonluri was speaking at the launch of a Graduate Programme in Data Science and Analytics by the Academic City University College in Accra.
The two-year MSC Programme is set to train students to apply data science techniques for problem-solving and decision-making in real-world scenarios.
The programme would also build the students’ expertise in analytic tools, independent problem-solving, and cross-industry applications.
He said the launch of the Programme signified the University’s commitment to embracing the future with open arms and it was a testament of their belief in the power of data to drive meaningful change and create lasting impact.
“With this endeavour, we aim to not only stay ahead of the curve but to redefine the very landscape of our industry,” he added.
The President said as they embarked on this journey, “we must remain vigilant in upholding the highest standards of ethics and integrity and we must ensure that the data we analyze is used responsibly and ethically, respecting the privacy and rights of individual s at all times.”
Prof McBagonluri said data science was not merely a buzzword, but it was a discipline that empowered them to extract meaningful patterns and trends from vast volumes of data and it would equip them with the tools and techniques to delve deep into the intricacies of information, and uncovering hidden gems that could drive innovation and growth.
He said in this era of rapid technological advancement, data had become the lifeblood of businesses and organisations across the globe, and it held the power to unlock invaluable insights, drive informed decision-making and fuel transformative change.
“Recognising this we have embarked on a mission to harness the full potential of data through the lens of data science and analytics,” he added.
Mr David Gowu, the Executive Director of the Institute of ICT Professionals, said data science and analytics were a Catalyst for capacity building and beyond national development.
He urged stakeholders to explore how this programme would significantly contribute to building the capacity of ICT professionals in Ghana and across Africa.
He said the Programme would equip ICT professionals with cutting-edge skills and by mastering data science techniques, they would become good at extracting insights from complex data sets.
He said these professionals would drive innovation, enhance decision-making, and contribute to the digital transformation of public and private organizations.
Mr Gowu said the Programme would help close the skills gap, where Africa faced a significant skills gap in data science and analytics.
“By offering this programme, we bridge that gap, and graduates will possess the expertise needed to tackle real-world challenges, from optimizing supply chains to predicting disease outbreaks,” he added.
