SAS India collaborates with GIM to launch a postgraduate course in BDA

SAS India has announced its association with the Goa Institute of Management (GIM) for a two-year full-time residential postgraduate management programme in Big Data Analytics (PGDM BDA). It is the first postgraduate management programme in the country focused on the exciting field of Big Data. The programme is designed to address the new paradigm of fact-based decision making associated with the advent of Big Data. The main objective of this programme is to prepare future-ready managers who are well versed in Big Data and Analytics. The programme will cover the entire gamut of Big Data ecosystem and will impart hands-on training to students in data visualization, advanced analytics, machine learning, along with communication skills required by a business manager.

The students will be admitted on the basis of their CAT/GMAT/CMAT score and aptitude in Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning. The course is divided into six terms. In the first term, the students are provided a perspective of management along with an introduction to Analytics. The next two terms will focus on learning languages like SAS, R, Python and various emerging technologies all through problem solving with live data sets in a Data Lab. The students shall thus be readied to take up industry assignments in a company during their summer internship.

The course is heavily premised on industry interface for which a novel concept of “Industry Associate” is implemented. Select companies/organizations which have been using analytics are associated with the programme as industry associates. Their analytics experts will constantly interact with students in formal and informal ways and help ensure the programme remains well tuned with industry needs.

Bhuvan Nijhawan, Director, Education, SAS Asia Pacific, says, “Today, every organization requires analytics for business decisions and the need will only amplify in future. While there are limitless opportunities for the students commencing their career in this field, there is an acute shortage of skilled talent. SAS along with GIM is looking to address this very skill gap that exists today. The newly-launched programme in association with GIM is an effort to offer a great platform for students to enhance their skills, provide hands-on experience and gain a competitive edge in the industry.”

Ajit Parulekar, Director, Goa Institute of Management, says, “The course is designed with a vision to produce what we called data-fluent, future-ready managers who would have complete business perspective as well as hands-on experience in solving business problems with big data tools and technologies. The course is structured in a manner so as to fully prepare students to take up front-line managerial jobs in data-intensive companies.”