The First Big Data Application Platform between the Academics and the Industry Jointly Launched by Soochow University

With the arrival of the Big Data era, we are witnessing yet another wave of information revolution surging globally.  On 15 April 2014 Soochow University announced the establishment of the first ever development platform for information intelligence in a higher education institution.  Together with Dassault Systemes, and LEADTEK Research Inc., Soochow University launched a three-way joint project between the academics and the industry by introducing the Big Data information application platform into our campus.  The platform makes it possible for Soochow to vertically and horizontally integrate all our campus information, and to develop applications relating to the day to day operation of a university.  This being the first instance of Big Data solutions applied in a university, Soochow naturally becomes the first higher education institution in the Greater China area to initiate Dassault Systemes’ EXALEAD solutions.  President Pan Wei-Ta of Soochow University indicates that professional talents are now playing key roles and are the foundations stones in the sustainable development of a nation and in the industries as well.  As a university dedicated to the excellence of teaching, Soochow strives to foster talents who are professionals with international competitiveness, and are urgently needed by the business world.  By bringing unto our campus the world-class EXALEAD Big Data intelligent applications development platform and the professional training programs, we will be able to further consolidate the effectiveness of our teaching excellence.  This joint project will also be a big help in the development of training programs, and the establishment of a complete career development mechanism under which talents will be well-trained, internship opportunities provided, and the transition between school and business a seamless process. Soochow University will then become a hub for training Bid Data professionals for the Greater China area. 

The EXALEAD Big Data application development platform introduced into Soochow University is a powerful tool in data searching and analysis.  The cooperation with Dassault Systemes, and LEADTEK Research Inc. allows Soochow University to develop our own learning effectiveness tracking system, and a professional aptitude guiding system for ours students.  With this joint project we will also be able to offer professional, technical courses, as well as internship opportunities.  An early contact with the business world will give our students a head start as they can easily transfer their learning effectiveness into practical capabilities.  This would also help our efforts in narrowing the gap between schooling and applying what they learned to the business world, and fostering Big Data related talents for both the academics and the industries.

With the EXALEAD solutions, Soochow University will now be able to break through the technical barriers in our current administrative systems.  The analysis and use of the huge amount of information available on and off our campus can now be applied to many aspects of our activities; course selection system, tracking of learning effectiveness, enhancing students’ learning, career probing, and on-job performance.  With this system, practical applications can be incorporated into excellent teaching, students will be turned into professional talents, and business operations can be further optimized.  The EXALEAD solutions will be applied to many areas including the development of immediate and intermediate academic programs, consolidation of the excellence of teaching, and upgrading our students international competitiveness in the area of Big Data information.  The three-way cooperation will also include many other projects; such as providing training courses, establishing a mechanism for fostering Big Data professionals, and internship opportunities for Soochow students.

The significance of the joint project on Big Data information applications extends far beyond the three partners of Soochow University, LEADTEK Research Inc., and Dassault Systemes.  To witness the new page in the reform of our education system in Taiwan were many VIPs who were present at the news conference; the Political Deputy Minister of Education Mr. Chen Der-hwa, Director of the Department of Higher Education Ms. Huang Wen-ling, and two legislators from the Legislative Yuan’s Education and Cultural Committee; Legislator Pan Wei-Kang, and Legislator Chiang Nai-Shin.   

Soochow is the first university in the nation to adopt the complete IBM PureFlex system to integrate the mainframe server, internet connections, and the high-power IBM V7000 storage facilities in order to provide diversified information service, to establish the first Soochow cloud system, and to improve our current course selections, and the way we utilize the campus information system.   In the near future, programs and a school on Big Data will be set up, to integrate the research resources we have accumulated over a very long period and across a broad range of disciplines.  Our Big Data applications on academic fields of Humanities, Social Sciences, Foreign Languages, and the Schools of Science, Law, and Business will also be available for our many joint projects with various corporations and enterprises.  Through the practical operations, applications, and internship for our students, we will be able to upgrade our academic research, teaching and learning,  and services to the business world.  Soochow will be matching up seamlessly to demands from the industries, providing graduates who will be professional talents in Big Data information system.​