Thriving business analytics degree receives international recognition

MSc Business Analytics first launched from RGU’s School of Creative and Cultural Business four years ago with just five students enrolled. Fast forward to 2024 and the course has now recruited over 100 students for each of the past two years in addition to receiving endorsement from the International Institute of Business Analytics (IIBA).

RGU is the first university in Scotland, and only the second in the UK, to receive IIBA recognition for its business analytics degree having proven a global best in class standard.

The success of the postgraduate degree has led to the University now introducing the course in an undergraduate capacity too. The four-year, interdisciplinary Business Analytics BA (Hons) degree will be facilitated by experts across the School of Creative and Cultural Business, Aberdeen Business School, and the School of Computing.

Dr Ebuka Ibeke, Lecturer at the School of Creative and Cultural Business, leads on delivering the course at the University. He said: “MSc Business Analytics and our related short courses have supported a wide number of students and organisations to develop their capacity to use, manage and analyse data more effectively through a dynamic curriculum, cutting-edge technologies, and industry-relevant training - key elements to us obtaining the IIBA endorsement.

“We are excited to expand on the success of these courses with a number of new study opportunities, including a short course in Data Analytics for Healthcare Management and a full undergraduate degree in Business Analytics.

“As organisations continue to face a significant skills gap in relation to digital and data skills, we hope these new courses will provide additional pathways for prospective students to build their careers in data while addressing genuine industry needs.”

Central to the success of the course, similarly to many others at RGU, is the industry partnerships that exist and offer students vital and holistic learning experiences through the combination of theoretical knowledge and practical application.

Core29, an Aberdeen firm which specialises in digital transformation, is prize sponsors of the master’s programme and work with students throughout the year. Its Managing Director, Alan Dick, said: “Core29 help clients get the most out of their own systems and processes through the optimisation or upgrading of systems. The transformational benefits that data analytics makes is crucial in this and bringing some of these real-life client scenarios to the course gives incredible value and learning experience to the students.

“The symbiotic and evolving partnership between Core29 and RGU enables students to develop their technical and creative skills alongside growing their confidence to tackle future opportunities in the knowledge that they have employable skills.”

Graduates of the course have gone on to work in diverse roles around Europe, including business intelligence at Gucci in Italy. Closer to home, others have successfully used their knowledge learned around data and artificial intelligence (AI) to fill necessary skill gaps within the NHS and at government level.

The new undergraduate course is open for applications now and begins in September while the Data Analytics for Healthcare Management short course begins in February.