Dell Helps Universities Boost Interest in Data Science Careers and Increase Awareness of Cybersecurity Preparedness

PLANO, TX – Dell, Inc. recently announced the Dell Statistica Free Academic Program, a free version of its award-winning Statistica advanced analytics software now available to all U.S. college students and professors, to help boost interest in and preparedness for data analytics careers. Dell has also unveiled new security survey results showing that cybersecurity ranks as the number one concern among higher education IT professionals.

Recognizing the nationwide shortage of data scientists and other professionals with data analytics skills, and the increasing importance of employees with analytical skills in our data-driven economy, Dell has made its leading advanced analytics software free for college students and professors in U.S through the Dell Statistica Free Academic Program.

An easy-to-use solution that does not require coding and integrates seamlessly with open source R, Dell Statistica delivers a full range of advanced and predictive analytics tools that help organizations predict future trends, identify new customers and sales opportunities, forecast industry shifts, explore “what-if” scenarios and reduce the occurrence of fraud and other business risks.

The Dell Statistica Free Academic Program provides college students with free access to industry-leading advanced analytics technology, as a well as a host of support materials, including a free online statistics textbook, how-to-videos and access to a growing base of collegiate and professional users in the broader STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) community. The free offering also applies to all college and university professors, enabling them to make hands-on practicum a more relevant part of their curriculum, and to aid in their own research endeavors.

At the time of the release, Dell also revealed the results of a security survey conducted by the Center for Digital Education, which found that while organizations in the higher education industry are now better aware of the latest threats and vulnerabilities, numerous challenges still remain.

Notable survey findings include:

  • 73 percent of respondents rank cybersecurity high or very high among their institution's technology priorities;
  • While institutions rank their ability to detect and block cyber-attacks relatively high, with 65 percent citing their abilities as good or excellent, only 17 percent indicate they have not experienced a network breach/incident in the past year; and,
  • 77 percent of respondents expect to spend more on network security in the next 12 months and 63 percent expect to spend more on secure access to data and applications.

About Dell in Education
Dell Inc. is committed to helping students develop the knowledge and skills they need to learn and succeed in an increasingly digital world and a globally competitive workforce. As a top provider of technology and services to schools, Dell listens to and works with students, educators, administrators, parents and community members around the world to deliver innovative technology and services that give them the power to do more in and out of the classroom. Learn more about Dell in Education at www.dell.com.

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