ASEAN Data Science Explorers 2020: Fostering the Next Wave of Data-Driven Changemakers in Time of COVID-19 Epidemic

Monday 30 March 2020 16:30
The ASEAN Foundation and SAP launched the call for applications for the ASEAN Data Science Explorers (ASEANDSE) 2020 today, inviting students aged from 16, in their tertiary education and up to undergraduate studies, across ASEAN to be the next cohort of data-driven changemakers.
ASEAN Data Science Explorers 2020: Fostering the Next Wave of Data-Driven Changemakers in Time of COVID-19 Epidemic

Since its inception in 2017, the ASEAN DSE has been one of the most immersive platforms for ASEAN youth to hone 21st-century skills through a combination of expert-led enablement sessions and a digital competition designed to challenge youth to solve pressing socio-economic issues in the ASEAN region through the lens of data analytics.

Here are three ways how ASEANDSE fosters the next wave of data-driven changemakers.

It equips youth with future, high demand skillset

The ASEANDSE provides an avenue for youth to learn and deepen a skill that will help them to be competitive in the future job market: data analytics. It is a skill that is currently in high demand due to more companies realising the value of data-driven business strategy and in need of talented individuals who can provide data-driven insights among the massive amount of information circulating online and offline.

It deepens the youth’s appreciation for ASEAN

To develop a data-driven storyboard for the competition, applicants are required to dissect the most pressing socio-economic issues in ASEAN across 6 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDG), namely (1) good health and well-being, (2) quality education, (3) gender equality, (4) decent work and economic growth, (5) industry, innovation and infrastructure, and (6) sustainable cities and communities by harnessing SAP Analytics Cloud software.

At the end of the journey, exposure to these key issues will deepen youth’s appreciation towards what the region has been enduring so far. This is the ASEANDSE way to cultivate and foster youth’s sense of belonging towards the future of ASEAN, and consequently, their own.

It introduces youth to a world-class analytics tool

ASEANDSE provides an opportunity for youth to harness SAP Analytics Cloud—a one simple cloud solution that connects people, information and ideas to support fast and confident decision making. This tool has machine learning and embedded artificial intelligence technology that help discover deep insights, simplify access to critical information, and empower informed decision making for all. The ability to use this platform can be a great plus to anyone’s career profile.

Students, from all faculties, who sign up to the ASEANDSE 2020 will receive a free, full, and dedicated access to SAP Analytics Cloud for a year to develop their data analytics storyboards.

The ASEANDSE 2020 will be carried out from February to October 2020, starting with 4-month enablement sessions organised for students and lecturers in local institutes of higher learning across the region to improve their data analytics’ skills and knowledge. The enablement sessions will be followed by national and regional data analytics competitions. In order to take part in the competition, students are required to form teams of two from the same institution or two different institutions to register for the competition and submit their proposals.

Since its introduction 3 years ago, the ASEANDSE has empowered over 10,000 students from 262 institutes of higher learning in the region and has been recognised by 10 ASEAN leaders, Senior Officials Meeting on Youth and Senior Officials Meeting on Education for its contribution to youth development.

For further information about the programme, please visit http://www.aseandse.org/ or email [email protected].

About ASEAN Foundation

Three decades after ASEAN was established, ASEAN leaders recognised that: there remained inadequate shared prosperity, ASEAN awareness and contact among people of ASEAN. It was of this concern that ASEAN leaders established ASEAN Foundation during ASEAN’s 30th Anniversary Commemorative Summit in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia on 15 December 1997. ASEAN Foundation is an organisation from and for the people of ASEAN. The Foundation exists because of one vision: to build a cohesive and prosperous ASEAN Community. As an ASEAN’s body, the Foundation is tasked to support ASEAN mainly in promoting awareness, identity, interaction and development of the people of ASEAN. For more info about the ASEAN Foundation, visit: www.aseanfoundation.org

About SAP

As the cloud company powered by SAP HANA(R), SAP is the market leader in enterprise application software, helping companies of all sizes and in all industries run at their best: 77% of the world’s transaction revenue touches an SAP(R) system. Our machine learning, Internet of Things (IoT), and advanced analytics technologies help turn customers’ businesses into intelligent enterprises. SAP helps give people and organizations deep business insight and fosters collaboration that helps them stay ahead of their competition. We simplify technology for companies so they can consume our software the way they want – without disruption. Our end-to-end suite of applications and services enables more than 425,000 business and public customers to operate profitably, adapt continuously, and make a difference. With a global network of customers, partners, employees, and thought leaders, SAP helps the world run better and improve people’s lives. For more information, visit www.sap.com.

ASEAN Data Science Explorers 2020: Fostering the Next Wave of Data-Driven Changemakers in Time of COVID-19 Epidemic