• Bridging the skills gap in Bahrain in the field of Data Science
  • Preparing students for a rewarding career in a highly sought-after field
  • Meeting the growing demand for Data Analysts as one of the future jobs
  • Job opportunities in Data Analytics as a required field in today's local and international job market

Manama: The Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance (BIBF) announced the launch of the new bachelor’s degree in Data Science and Business Analytics, awarded by the University of London, with academic direction of the London School of Economics (LSE). The new programme, starting in September 2022, will offer free seats for top achievers.

The BIBF Director Dr. Ahmed Al Shaikh stated that the BIBF will provide free seats to encourage top students to join majors of the future like Data Science. The programme, which came as a response to the high demand of today's local and international job market, aims to qualify students for more meaningful job roles while meeting the growing demand for data analysts - one of the most important jobs of the future.

Prior to launching the programme, the BIBF conducted several studies, questionnaires, and interviews with different stakeholders, Dr. Al Shaikh noted. It was clear that the local job market lacks today's much-needed data science skills. To bridge this gap, the BIBF decided to partner with globally-recognised institutions to introduce an integrated and effective programme in this growing field.

The BIBF’s Head of Academics Centre, Dr. Raja Bucheeri, stated that the new programme was introduced in cooperation with the University of London with academic direction of the London School of Economics, which is among the top 10 universities in UK and one of the world's leading institutions in finance, banking, and economics.

She mentioned that to qualify for the programme, students must have completed "Shahadat Al-Thanawaya Al-Aama" (equivalent to the General Secondary Education Certificate) with a minimum total score of 85%, 90% in Mathematics and 85% in English language (IELTS score 6.0). Also, applicants will have to pass the Admission Testing in Mathematics and English conducted by the BIBF Assessment Centre.

Data science has become one of the fastest growing fields in recent years. With the massive influx of data, humans find it increasingly difficult to process data through traditional methods. It was clear that new computer-based methods are needed to analyse and process data. At this point, data science applications were conceived. By learning these applications, students can have a better understanding of the basics of computing, statistics, and advanced technologies (such as AI and Machine Learning). 

The BSc in Data Science and Business Analytics prepares students for postgraduate opportunities and rewarding careers in data science, analytics and other in-demand fields.  

The degree will also provide students with essential training in probability, statistics, mathematics and computing tools. These tools provide better visualisation and analysis of large datasets, enabling students to derive valuable insights from data. In addition to methodology, the programme has a strong focus on finance, economics, business, marketing and beyond.

The programme also provides students with the basic knowledge and skills needed to understand the broad picture of big data and deliver effective solutions to real world problems. After completing the programme, students will be more able to develop skills in the application of statistical and machine learning techniques, have a good knowledge of the principles of probability and statistics applications, and gain practical skills in applied data science and business analytics, which help businesses make more informed decisions.

Interested candidates can visit the programme webpage bibf.com/dsba to register, email dsba@bibf.com or contact +973 1781 6316 for more information.

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