Data science and VMware IT programmes now available at APU

Data science is the latest buzz word and the Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) is committed to providing students in Malaysia the chance to enhance their skills through their recent collaboration with leading cloud software giant VMware.

APU recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with VMware, the global corporation known for its cloud computing and virtualisation services. This collaboration will offer students exposure to skills on virtualisation and cloud technologies as part of APU and VMware's commitment to supporting Malaysia's growing digital economy and demand in the workforce.

VMware Managing Director Laurence Si in his opening note highlighted the crucial role of partnerships between private industries and the academia to prepare the IT industry in Malaysia for business transformation.

"Institutions of higher learning have the potential and position to impact the industry," he said, adding that the collaboration would pave way for such training especially since data science and cloud technology are multidisciplinary fields.

Dr Karl Ng Hou of the Innovation Capital Division at MDeC commended on the efforts of both APU and VMware.

He also spoke on the challenges and opportunities of ICT education in Malaysia. "Universities play an important role in innovation. We hope that VMware and APU can help enhance our efforts in building innovative skills as well as generating productive and creative graduates from day one."

The potentials of the collaboration with VMware spurred further discussions on the need for IT skill gaps to be filled. Prof. Dr Andy Seddon, Dean of APU's Quality Assurance and Partnership further shared the initiatives and partnerships of APU as well as details of the VMware IT Academy in the institution.

The collaboration includes the following provisions:

• The creation of a Center of Excellence, VMware Cloud Innovation Centre. VMware software-defined data centre and cloud solutions will be hosted on the APU campus for training and talent development. APU will have access to materials and tools from VMware engineers via the VMware IT Academy Program resources and laboratory.
• Jointly developed elective or specialisation module(s) in emerging technologies such as cloud computing, software-defined networks and data centres. A joint APU-VMware Industrial Certification will also be provided upon successful completion of the module(s).
• 70% discount off VMware Certified Professional Certification examination fees for eligible full-time APU students.
• APU will appoint VMware Student Ambassadors to lead university campaigns for awareness about the VMware IT Academy Program, VCA and VCP Certifications, and virtualisation and cloud computing technologies.

APU students who were present at the event welcomed this collaboration with excitement. Final year software engineering students William Momanyi Myabuti from Kenya and Gunaseelan Ramachandran from Kuala Lumpur expressed their enthusiasm for the possibilities available for future students.

"Students will not be limited, but will be exposed to different levels of support and a wide range of experiences in data science with this collaboration," said William.

The Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) is among Malaysia's premier private universities. It recently announced that it would begin offering its Masters program in Data Science and Business Analytics in 2016. APU is poised to become a frontrunner in analytics research through the establishment of the Asia Pacific Centre of Analytics (APCA), through which research activities will be undertaken to challenge boundaries in the application of analytics.