INTI International University and IBM partner up to push future digitisation

INTI International University & Colleges is partnering with IBM Malaysia to introduce the IBM Innovation Center for Education (ICE) program.Taught by IBM certified experts, IBM ICE is a series of Undergraduate Programs and Academic courses for the Computing & IT and Business verticals. Devised in consultation with INTI and local industry experts, the IBM ICE program differentiates itself through a courseware developed by IBM Labs, its Learning Services Team, and several partners. The courseware is tailored according to the area of specialisation chosen, with the inclusion of links to reference materials, further study and Self-Assessment Questions.Earlier in October, INTI announced the findings of its landmark survey called the “Dichotomy of expectations among employers and new graduates” which revealed several gaps in expectations between employers and new graduates in terms of competency deemed essential to excel at a job. The most pressing dichotomy in expectations concerned digital literacy, where 30% of employers regarded it as the most essential competency needed for job performance. Meanwhile, most graduates rated it as the least important competency at only 4%.Malaysia’s rapid expansion of regional IT hubs in recent years has engendered an acute demand for talent in key positions, particularly in the field of big data, cloud services, and social computing.A study commissioned by Malaysian Digital Economy Corporation (MDeC) echoes the gap, noting that Malaysia needs more Big Data and Analytics (BDA) professionals to maintain a global competitive edge. The severity of the situation is made clearer when we factor in Malaysia’s goal to raise 2,000 data scientists and 16,000 data professionals by 2020. Currently, there are only 300 data scientists in Malaysia – both local and foreign.Tim Bulow, CEO of INTI International University & Colleges said, “As a progressive mover in higher education, INTI is taking the initiative to address the IT talent void that is confronting Malaysia. Given the dire situation, we have activated a solution we think most effective, which is to collaborate with an industry leader like IBM in delivering the most updated and industry-relevant education to our students – equipping them with cutting-edge skills that will prepare them to not only bridge the gap in IT expertise but to be a leader in the field.”IBM has also been actively involved as a member of INTI’s Industry Advisory Board, lending their professional expertise to ensure our curriculum continues to meet market expectations. With its support and that of over 400 industry partners, INTI has recorded incredible graduate employability outcomes which has been validated by BDO Governance Advisory. This includes the fact that 98% of INTI graduates securing jobs within six months of graduation, 82% receiving higher salaries than the market average and 25% receiving job offers even before they graduate, explained Bulow.Chong Chye Neo, managing director of IBM Malaysia said, “In a practice as dynamic as IT, it is imperative that students are updated with the latest knowledge and direction of the industry in order to continue in their abilities to be active contributors in the cognitive era. The ICE program is underscored with elements like the Subject Matter Experts sessions and the Teach the Teacher workshops to keep everyone industry-relevant.”