The University of Delaware is delighted to partner with Southwestern University of Finance and Economics (SWUFE) to create the SWUFE-UD Joint Educational Institute for Data Sciences (JEI hereafter), which enrolled its first group of students starting in fall 2020.  The JEI will offer Bachelor of Science degrees in Finance, Operations Management, and Management Information Systems, with all three majors sharing courses in data science.  

With the rapid advances in information technologies, the volume of data generated has increased tremendously in recent years. These data are generated from various sources such as online transactions, mobile applications, sensors, video-capturing systems, and social media, and are arriving at an unprecedented scale. Businesses with expertise in data science and analytics can apply predictive and prescriptive models to these data sources in order to generate managerial and strategic insights and create business value. The majors offered as part of the JEI aim to enable students to use data and analytics to gain competitive advantages in today’s business world. Students with a working knowledge of data science will have an advantage on the job market since many companies in the United States and elsewhere around the world are seeking employees who can utilize data to inform managerial decisions and create business value.

The SWUFE-UD Joint Educational Institute for Data Science is a win-win-win arrangement for UD, SWUFE, and the Chinese students who will enroll in the JEI. Students will receive a better education since they are gaining the combined expertise of highly-respected educational institutions in the U.S. and China, which will prepare them for better opportunities for employment or graduate education. By making JEI programs available to high school applicants, SWUFE attracts more and better students to the University.  UD faculty members gain valuable international experiences, and the University gains international exposure by participating in this innovative educational institute. It is with great enthusiasm that UD anticipates this new and exciting era in international collaboration!

Prof.Rick Andrews,

Foreign Associate Dean