University of Edinburgh in Carphone partnership

University of Edinburgh Business School has signed a “big data” partnership worth about £500,000 with retail chain Dixons Carphone to develop graduate knowledge and skills in data science and analytics.

L-R Dr Malcolm Kirkup (University of Edinburgh Business School), Caroline Angell (Dixons Carphone), Professor Ian Clarke (University of Edinburgh Business School), Andy Barratt (Dixons Carphone)

The educational tie-up will help fund a major drive to develop teaching and research in data science in the business school. It will also include scholarships for promising applicants and will see the creation of a full-time academic role to champion big data – large volumes of often complex information – as well as giving the business school access to cutting-edge software and data for teaching and research. Professor Ian Clarke, dean of the business school, said the partnership will give students access to the latest applied insights and software. “Big data is now ubiquitous, so it’s essential we equip the next generation of business leaders and entrepreneurs with the skills to manage and analyse it, for the benefit of organisations and their customers,” he said.