University of Wollongong’s Sydney Business School expands its best-in-class analytics education

• Extends SAS partnership adding more Analytics courses to roster
• 150 per cent increase in demand for Analytics courses at COVID-19 peak
• Cites growing demand from new and mature-age students, with 70 per cent re-skilling

The Sydney Business School at the University of Wollongong has extended its collaboration with SAS, the leader in analytics, as demand grows for skilful business analytics professionals among students and employers alike.

Establishing a partnership in 2019, with the Sydney Business School, UOW first introducing a Master of Business Analytics degree in collaboration with SAS, the institution has since extended its course options. Now, the offering includes four Business Analytics courses spanning a Graduate Certificate, Masters Degree as well as majors in the subject for Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Master of Professional Accounting (MPA) Degrees.

Catering to domestic and international students as well as newly available remotely in the UAE market, the university experienced exponential demand for the courses during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Among these were new students as well as mature-age professionals seeking to re-skill with the same drive to consider a career path that’s growing in demand.

Professor Colin Picker, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Business and Law at University of Wollongong, commented: “I view our analytics degrees as among the most important in the faculty. I am particularly energised by these courses as I see increasing demand and interest for upskilling in this emerging sector, as businesses seek to be as nimble and innovative as possible through fast, informed decision making.”

SAS is widely regarded as the analytics gold standard by major private and public sector organisations worldwide. By exposing their students to SAS, educators give them a competitive advantage in today’s data-rich business environment.   

Prof. Picker added: “Young students are attracted to the growth prospects, and our degrees in collaboration with SAS are driving partnerships with many large corporate companies - spanning major airlines, energy companies and health - as they seek to fulfil growing lists of data scientist and analyst roles. What’s most interesting however, is we’re working with some corporates on bespoke training courses for groups of their existing employees, as they seek to upskill their teams in deciphering data into insights, and leveraging these to drive informed, smart outcomes.”

Dr. Joshua Fan, Academic Director for Business Analytics postgraduate programs of the Sydney Business School at University of Wollongong, said: “Demand for our analytics courses skyrocketed during the pandemic, increasing by 150 per cent. A rapid rise in uptake was not only triggered by students and professionals seeking career skills that would help drive long-term job security and stability, but also support via the Government Sponsored Scheme which allowed a greater spectrum of people to consider studying and upskilling. With international borders now opening, we expect enrolments to grow in 2022.

“Interestingly, 70 per cent of our current students across the analytics degrees are re-skilling, as they consider career changes, aligning with the recent Great Resignation movement in 2021. We’re pleased that these students are highly motivated with strong completion rates of approximately 88 per cent in the past two years, indicating they are truly enjoying and engaged in their courses.

“Our courses greatly benefit from the collaboration and support of SAS, enabling students to gain critically in-demand industry skills and knowledge to be able to re-enter or pivot their position in the workforce,” added Dr. Fan.

Ms Cathy Bale completed her Graduate Certificate in Business Analytics at the Sydney Business School, University of Wollongong in 2020. Commenting on her experience and the use of SAS technology, she said: “In my current role I am required to analyse data to understand where we are at, predict where we are going and develop options to move forward. When faced with a project involving large, complex data set I wanted to know more, so the decision to undertake further study was quickly made.

“The graduate certificate has enabled me to improve my analytics skills, think more broadly and more deeply about business problems and extract further value from data. I have now enrolled in the Masters of Business Analytics at the University of Wollongong to further my knowledge.

“I first came across SAS as part of the graduate certificate program. The ease of finding powerful insights through SAS Viya was astounding. As a full-time worker with a family, studying at night was the norm so to have easy access to support from SAS was wonderful,” added Ms Bale.  In 2021, Ms Cathy Bale completed her Master of Business Analytics and received the SAS Academic Specialisation in Advanced Business Analytics.

There are now more than 45 higher education institutions across Australia and New Zealand that have embedded SAS modules in their degree courses for would-be data scientists and other students of advanced business analytics.

Ian Edwards, Head of Academic Outreach at SAS Australia and New Zealand, said: “We are thrilled by the continued success and growth of our partnership with the University of Wollongong. The institution has been an early adopter in providing best-in-class analytics education and we look forward to continuing to provide our support, expertise and passion in this area. We are committed to growing the next generation of analytics experts as well as connecting employers with the talent they need.”

In February 2022, SAS launched a new program for higher education students to learn analytics skills and earn valuable certifications sought by employers. SAS^® Skill Builder for Students is a free, global, 24/7 virtual learning portal that offers access to SAS software, e-learning and certifications, as well as career advice and ways to connect with employers.

About The Sydney Business School, University of Wollongong

The Sydney Business School, UOW which was established in 1997, builds on the traditional strength and reputation of the University of Wollongong (UOW). It is the graduate school of the Faculty of Business and Law and offers high quality postgraduate business programs at the Sydney CBD Campus located at Circular Quay, and UOW’s Wollongong Campus.

The School’s postgraduate programs are designed for individuals seeking to expand or deepen expertise, to build professional excellence or to enhance their leadership capabilities. They are; informed by research, recognised by industry and delivered using contemporary learning approaches, so you can gain the qualification you need to become a leader in your chosen field.

Their strong links with industry, business and government ensures their programs reflect both industry and student needs.

The student body is made up of citizens from around the world and their alumni and partners are spread across the globe. Nurturing this diversity and staying connected across the time zones is important to Sydney Business School, UOW. They work with their students, alumni and partners to enhance both collaborations and cultural appreciation.