IBM commits $100 million to big data analytics education in China

IBM announced a collaborative effort with Chinese universities to nurture skills in big data analytics through software donations worth $100 million, plus additional support to increase the number of skilled workers in the field.
This follows IBM earlier this year signing a memorandum of understanding with the Chinese Ministry of Education on increasing the number of workers skilled in big data and analytics.
The IBM U-100 initiative involves IBM donating the software as well as providing training to professors and faculty to support big data and analytics programs at 100 universities in China, as well as guest lecturers and awards. The program has three tiers: big data and analytics technology centers are to be set up at 100 universities; centers of excellence at five universities where IBM partners and clients can work with the universities; and undergraduate and graduate programs to be launched at 30 universities, which IBM will help design degree programs for data scientists and chief data officers across five business areas including finance, marketing and risk management.
Once fully implemented, the initiative is expected to reach 40,000 students per year and IBM expects that 40 programs will have expanded BD&A offerings by the end of this year. IBM has been working with seven Chinese universities on pilot programs set to be rolled out this fall. IBM has already had involvement with the private sector through the Chinese University of Hong Kong, which has a new Marketing Engineering Lab for educational purposes, with students performing data mining projects for retailers and distributors.
Consulting firm CCID expects the big data technology and services market in China to reach $8.7 billion by 2016, compared to $2.3 billion this year.
IBM also announced that it has an agreement to offer free online courses in big data and analytics through kaikeba.com in an “IBM Zone of Big Data and Analytics,” designed for both students and IT professionals.
“Big data is big business, but its rapid growth has outpaced colleges’ and universities’ ability to develop and implement new curriculums,” said Li Shu Chong, president of CCID. “IBM’s extensive initiative is poised to help develop new talent in China that will be needed to realize the full potential of big data.”
In announcing the initiative, IBM said that “while many leading Chinese enterprises have already realized the value of big data for driving innovation and increasing competitiveness, there are not enough skilled professionals to deploy and maintain the infrastructure based on these new technologies, and more importantly, there are even fewer skilled ‘data scientists’ with the necessary technical skills.”
“IBM is privileged to extend its collaboration with the Ministry of Education and universities in China,” said D.C. Chien, CEO of IBM’s Greater China Group. “Together we will be able to accelerate the nurturing of skills in big data and analytics and help prepare future business leaders to apply BD&A technologies to tackle complex societal issues, from health care to transportation and public services.”