The Business School has announced a new partnership with Europe's leading specialist electrical and telecommunications retailer and services company, Dixons Carphone. Image The educational tie-up will champion and develop the role of data science and analytics in business education. As business becomes ever more digital and data-driven, there is a growing need to develop graduate knowledge and skills in data science and analytics. Insightful podcast A podcast offering the latest insights on big data from the experts at Dixons Carphone, Google and Experian is available to listen to now. Listen to the podcast now “By linking-up with one of Europe’s leading consumer brands we will ensure our students have access to the latest applied insights and software, and can gain hands-on experience in the rapidly developing field of big data, to further strengthen their employment prospects on graduation.” Professor Ian ClarkeDean of University of Edinburgh Business School Championing big data The collaboration will help fund a major drive to develop teaching and research in data science within the Business School with close to £500,000 invested in various initiatives. It will give students and scholars the latest insights to help them master the big data skills needed to analyse consumer behaviour, retail and marketing trends. The funding will also see the creation of a new full-time academic role, devoted to championing big data and give the School access to cutting-edge software and data for teaching and research. Generous scholarships In addition, a number of generous Dixons Carphone scholarships will be offered to promising applicants to the School’s MSc and MBA programmes. The retail giant also hopes to create opportunities for Business School graduates who take part in the initiative. We are really pleased to announce this collaboration and we welcome the innovative approach Edinburgh’s leading academics are taking in giving students real-world applied data-analytics experience during their studies. With this new partnership we therefore want to play our part in building a new generation of data-savvy, business graduates who will help drive our company and the industry forward. Stuart RamageE-Commerce Director, Dixons Carphone Publication date 25 Jan, 2016