PETALING JAYA, MALAYSIA, 7 February 2021: Masters and doctorate students at Manipal GlobalNxt University can now deepen their knowledge in Cloud Computing, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Data Science through a new collaboration with IBM (NYSE: IBM) to help address national and global skills shortages. 

“With 43% of Malaysians believing their jobs are at risk due to digitization, access to technical knowledge from IBM Global University Programs will equip our graduates with enhanced skills to navigate dynamic digital transformations, be competitive, and stay relevant in the future workplace,”  said Dr. Chinmoy Sahu, Vice-Chancellor, Manipal GlobalNxt University.

Using the IBM Academic Initiative, a self-service education portal available from IBM Global University Programs, Manipal GlobalNxt University will enhance knowledge and learning of specific technical modules across three key programs: Master of Business Administration (MBA), Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA) and Master of Science in IT Management (MScITM).

Courseware for MScITM students will include foundational modules in Cloud Computing and AI, while MBA and DBA students will benefit from IBM's foundational module in Data Science. They will also be able to access industrial-strength tools such as  IBM Cloud Services, Watson Studio on Cloud, and SPSS Modeller as part of the hands-on experiential learning.

“Over the next three years, more than 1,000 students and our faculty will gain critical applied technology skills to address real-world challenges,” Dr. Sahu said.

Catherine Lian, Technology and Country Leader, IBM Malaysia said technical and soft skills are becoming critical parts of the toolkit for tomorrow’s workforce across a range of disciplines.“Our collaboration with Manipal GlobalNxt University to help train the diverse workforce of tomorrow in fast-growing technologies is part of our commitment to contribute to Malaysia's digital readiness. The collaboration equips students from both IT and business backgrounds with the necessary skills to unlock data insights and create innovations that can help drive national progress,” she said.

Last year, IBM pledged to provide 30 million people of all ages, particularly those from under-resourced or traditionally under-represented populations, with skills needed for jobs by 2030. The pledge leverages existing programs and includes a global roadmap with more than 170 new academic and industry partnerships.

IBM’s Global University Programs consist of IBM Academic Initiative and IBM Skills Academy. IBM Academic Initiative was established in 2005 for educators, students, and researchers at accredited academic institutions to leverage IBM tools and courses for teaching, learning, and non-commercial research with recent enhancements, for free. More than 30,000 registered users across the Asia Pacific are currently leveraging courseware and software from the IBM Academic Initiative for their learning roadmap.   

****

About IBM

For more information about IBM go to www.ibm.com

About Manipal GlobalNxt University

For more information, visit www.globalnxt.edu.my

Media Contact:

Trista Efendi | Communications, IBM Malaysia|  Trista.efendi@ibm.com