Over 3,800 students followed the master’s program in data science organized by SAS in partnership with Romanian universities

SAS, global leader in AI and analytics, announces the results obtained during the first three years of academic collaborations with higher education institutions in the country, following the commitments made by the company, both locally and internationally, to support the preparation of young people specialized in the fields of data science and data analysis.

One of the reasons why SAS decided to invest human, financial and material resources in supporting the educational process is the awareness that there is an acute shortage of data science specialists in the labor market.

Thus, starting from January 2021, no less than 3,800 Romanian students followed the master’s, bachelor’s and postgraduate programs proposed by SAS. These programs are represented by the compulsory courses included in the official curriculum of the universities, being approved by the Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education.

According to the reports provided by the managements of the universities in partnership with SAS, the graduation rate of study programs supported by SAS Romania stands at 95%. The number of students enrolled in these programs increases from year to year, along with the diversification of the educational offer from SAS Romania. In addition, students receive both the theoretical and practical framework to begin their careers in the field.

Most of the students who graduated from the SAS study programs in the last three years are already integrated in relevant departments of several companies in Romania, working in the field of data science. The master’s programs proposed by SAS Romania in 2023 address the field of advanced data analysis, but the content differs according to the profile of each faculty. The common element of all these programs is the fact that they all have a number of 150 study hours, which include teaching hours, individual study, but also participation in internship programs. In contrast, course curricula differ between a technical (STEM) college versus a business institution, where the focus is more on data citizen programs rather than data science programming courses.

Currently, SAS Romania runs master’s programs in partnership with universities in Bucharest, Cluj, Constanța, Brașov and Chișinău. Other higher education institutions will join the SAS efforts, the discussions being already in advanced stages.

2024 – expansion of SAS study programs in undergraduate cycles

For 2024, SAS proposes a consolidation of university study programs and their expansion in the area of bachelor’s programs. This represents a concrete request from the teaching staff, to introduce the study of SAS right from the 2nd and 3rd years of the bachelor’s degree.

“Another project that we have in progress with academic institutions is the establishment of centers of research excellence in data analysis, with applicability in economic fields in Romania. We want these centers to be multiplied over the coming years and we want through our technological contribution to support the development of leading fields in Romania, with universities becoming catalysts for innovation and economic growth. Last but not least, we want the graduates of SAS academic programs to be absorbed by these research and innovation projects, so that young talents are attracted by the prospect of staying and working in the country”, said Alina Luchian, Academic Program Manager for Romania at SAS Institute;

SAS Romania also supports the development of the educational offer in the Republic of Moldova. Starting in 2023, the company has established a collaboration with two key universities in the neighboring state. Specifically, September 2024 will mark the start of a master’s program in this country, SAS Romania’s goal being that public institutions and banks in the Republic of Moldova benefit from graduates competent in advanced data analysis.