Professor Longbing Cao, picture by Nicole Russell
In summary:
- UTS is introducing Australia's first research degrees in analytics, a field that encompasses business analytics, data mining and decision science
- The demand for skilled professionals crosses a range of industries from banking, finance, government, health, insurance, marketing, taxation, education, transport, e-commerce and social and online media
Research in fields such as business analytics, data mining and decision science will receive new focus with the launch of specific research degrees in analytics from next year at UTS – the first such degrees in Australia.
UTS is introducing a Master of Analytics (Research) and a PhD majoring in Analytics within its Advanced Analytics Institute (AAI), established as a strategic initiative in 2010 with Professor Longbing Cao as the Director. The institute has world-leading researchers who focus on practice-based analytics and decision-making research and services.
The AAI brings together leading researchers from the UTS Faculty of Engineering and IT, the Faculty of Business, the Centre for Quantum Computation and Intelligent Systems (QCIS) and the Centre for the Study of Choice (CenSoC).
The new research degrees will include learning modules and advanced analytics seminars from the relevant disciplines at UTS, including business, information technology and mathematics, focusing specifically on areas such as business analytics, data mining, machine learning, decision science, optimisation and project management; as well as real-life project-based practices to create and implement innovative analytical solutions.
Professor Cao said the major benefit to students will be the opportunity to choose a business-driven research topic and focus research and development on solving analytical problems for their own workplace.
"Students will be able to work on real-life industry analytical problems and will gain unique experiences to further equip themselves to work in the global marketplace," he said.
"This will be a natural extension of the very collaborative nature of the current research undertaken by AAI staff who already team with a number of leading organisations to conduct research to solve business problems.
"The demand for skilled professionals in analytics crosses a range of industries from banking, finance, government, health, insurance, marketing, taxation, education, transport, e-commerce, and social and online media.
"Analytics is a rapidly growing area which offers exciting employment opportunities. There is a major skill shortage of professionals with work-ready skills in analytics, data mining, business and innovation. UTS is addressing this shortfall by leading education, research and practices in the analytics area."
Professor Cao said learning at UTS will be integrated with analytics short courses, seminars, projects and practice in major domains. "These courses will provide academic rigour with cutting-edge technology in analytics,” he said.
For further details see the courses information on the UTS website:
www.handbook.uts.edu.au/courses/c03051.html