Universities enrol with SAS to boost graduate skills

KUALA LUMPUR: Six local universities have signed up for SAS Institute's Academic Initiative programme, which aims to help arm students with industry-relevant skills.

The United States-based company is a business intelligence software and services provider.

The universities involved are Universiti Teknologi Mara, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia and Open University Malaysia (OUM).

Under the programme, the universities will enjoy unlimited student-user licences of SAS software, as well as receive the company's support to develop curriculum that is in line with the current business environment.

The company will also organise joint seminars and provide free consultation on the integration of its software into university course modules.

Through the programme, individual university faculties can also partner with SAS Malaysia to undertake both academic and industrial research projects.

“The initiative involves more than just the use of software," Prof Dr Mansor Fadzil, vice-president of OUM, said at a signing ceremony to mark the deal.

"It is an innovative way to educate and develop quality Malaysian students," he said.

The programme also offers students the opportunity to do industrial training with SAS Malaysia or with SAS customers, a key advantage especially in a country where there is intense competition for jobs, according to Jimmy Cheah, managing director of SAS Malaysia.

“Today’s marketplace is indeed more competitive and demanding as employers are expecting young graduates to be more business and technology savvy," he said, adding that the programme would "increase student’s competitive advantage."