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SAS invests in humans, powered by AI and analytics education

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SAS GLOBAL FORUM – SAS announced its latest plans to invest in the people behind the analytics, to help educate the new generation to change what’s possible, and to train a workforce for a transformed economy. Several new programs and initiatives – all part of the overall commitment SAS has to promoting analytics education for all – were introduced during SAS® Global Forum 2019.

Offering something for everyone including academic institutions, professionals, and future programmers of tomorrow, the new programs will help create talent to drive analytical innovation and exploration:

  • SAS® Viya® for Learners offers free access to AI software for higher education teaching and learning.
  • Cortex, a new simulation game, allows educators to gamify the analytics learning experience.
  • New certifications and badges help professionals showcase their AI skills to the world.
  • And a new philanthropic partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs introduces kids to coding.

“Analytics is changing work and our current and upcoming workforce as we know it,” said SAS CEO Jim Goodnight. “But humans will always be the heart and soul of innovation. Our commitment to analytics education from kids to educators to professionals unleashes the power of learners to build a better world.”

Free access to AI and machine learning for academic institutions
SAS is helping educators prepare students to seize new career opportunities, at no cost, with SAS Viya for Learners. SAS Viya for Learners is a full suite of cloud-based software that supports the entire analytics life cycle – from data, to discovery, to deployment – and lets users access the most advanced SAS® AI and machine learning analytics tools, for free.

Education is a key pillar of the company’s recently announced $1 billion AI investment. To support the successful use of SAS Viya for Learners at academic institutions, a substantial portion of the education portion of that investment will go towards free educator workshops and teaching materials.

With SAS Viya for Learners, academic institutions can boost graduate career placement rates by building a complete advanced analytics program within a single software environment. SAS Viya for Learners provides support tools like online chat, web tutorials, e-learning opportunities, documentation, communities and technical support, freeing educators to teach creative applications of analytics, and critical thinking skills. Educators can access a private forum to share experiences and best practices.

Students gain expertise in the most popular software languages today, including SAS and open source options Python and R. They learn to explore data, discover insights and deploy AI and machine learning models. Students gain real-world experience through true business use cases and showcase their skills with badges and certification opportunities.

Louisiana State University (LSU) is an early adopter of SAS Viya for Learners. A SAS Global Forum panel will include several LSU graduates who used their advanced analytics expertise to land jobs at a Fortune 500 financial services company. The alumni will share best practices from their time at LSU, highlight what they found most beneficial for their current careers and provide insights into transitioning from graduate school to a career.

Professors can apply for access to SAS Viya for Learners via the home page.

SAS Viya for Learners is also available to those who enroll in a new SAS machine learning course, available now. Learners can also soon gain AI and machine learning skills via two new Coursera courses that will offer access to SAS Viya for Learners.

Introducing Cortex, an analytics simulation game
SAS and Canadian business school HEC Montreal have launched Cortex, an online simulation game that teaches analytics and predictive modeling skills. Educators can bring real-world experience into the classroom by having students compete to create the best model to support a fictional charitable foundation’s fundraising efforts. The game provides students with information on the nonprofit and a data set of potential donors, as well as access to SAS data mining tools. Students are ranked on a leaderboard based on the quality of their model and its results.

Educators can begin integrating Cortex into instruction now at no cost. Students can access it on a desktop or in the cloud for a small fee.

SAS Global Forum attendees can check out Cortex at HEC Montreal’s booth in the Quad and learn more about gaming as a learning tool during a presentation on Monday, April 29. There is an educator training session on Tuesday, April 30.

New certifications and badges signal AI expertise to employers
A SAS AI, big data, advanced analytics or data science credential fosters lucrative opportunities across industries. The SAS Global Certification program has long been the standard for industries like banking and life sciences, having awarded more than 142,000 SAS credentials to individuals in 112 countries.

Learners can amplify their marketability through three new specialist-level SAS certifications in machine learning, natural language and computer vision, and forecasting and optimization. The learners who pursue the certification automatically earn the professional-level credential, SAS Certified Professional: AI and Machine Learning. An immersive two-week classroom experience or flexible, online option taken over 12 months are available. Both options include certification exams.

In addition, SAS has partnered with Acclaim to create digital badges for SAS credentials. Professionals can add badges to online resumes, social media and email signatures to showcase expertise in a variety of analytical skills.

Building tomorrow’s programmers through new Boys & Girls Clubs partnership
To succeed in the analytics, AI and data science jobs of tomorrow, young students need a strong foundation in STEM and coding fundamentals.

To help build that foundation, SAS is bringing a fun coding experience to the AustinDallas and Houston chapters of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA). CodeSnaps is a free app from the makers of Curriculum Pathways® that teaches coding basics by enticing students to actively work together to control Sphero, an app-enabled robotic ball that students command using code and an iPad®. SAS is donating CodeSnaps kits, which include Sphero robots and iPads with accessories. SAS volunteers from the local city offices will train BGCA staff to conduct the lessons themselves.

Today’s announcements were made at SAS Global Forum, the world’s largest analytics conference, with more than 30,000 business and IT users of SAS software participating on-site and online.

 

SOURCE SAS

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EBRD to provide €30 million of long-term financing to Rönesans Gayrimenkul Yatırım to support regions affected by 2023 earthquakes

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Loan to finance support capex of the shopping centres in the region and projects to help preserve livelihoods in the affected cities

ISTANBUL, March 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is providing a senior loan of € 30 million to Rönesans Gayrimenkul Yatırım A.Ş (Rönesans Real Estate Investment) subsidiary of Rönesans Holding, one of Europe’s leading contracting and investment companies.

Rönesans Gayrimenkul Yatırım (RGY) is the commercial real estate development and investment company of Rönesans Holding. Combining Rönesans Holding’s over 30 years of construction experience with 22 years of real estate experience, RGY has an asset portfolio of 16 real estate properties with a gross asset value of € 2,6 billion as of 2023YE. Rönesans Gayrimenkul Yatırım stands as Türkiye’s largest commercial real estate investment group with its own managed projects, totaling c.1,500,000 square meters of gross building area and c. 740,000 square meters of gross leasable area.

The loan will finance the support capex of Kahramanmaraş and Şanlıurfa Piazza Shopping Centres and will be backed by a guarantee from the European Union.

The project will support the preservation of human capital and the livelihoods in the region. Rönesans Gayrimenkul Yatırım will provide a skills development programme and crafts production trainings dedicated to women. The sales training will prove beneficial to Kahramanmaraş Piazza Shopping Centre’s tenants who are facing labour shortages following significant migration from the city after the earthquake.

Jürgen Rigterink, First Vice President and Head of Client Services Group of the EBRD, said: “I was shocked and saddened to see during my visit the devastating impact the earthquakes have had on the affected region, and I continue to be inspired by the resilience and determination of the local population here.”

“Reconstruction is a long process and can take many years, but it begins by allowing the private sector to regain its vibrant potential. I am proud to say that we have already made available more than half of our initial €1.5 billion investment response, and we will continue to stand with Türkiye on its path to recovery by supporting projects that preserve the livelihoods of the region.”

İpek Ilıcak Kayaalp, Chair of the Board of Directors of Rönesans Holding, said: “We have a strong and longstanding partnership with EBRD for 15 years, and we are happy to collaborate with them on our social infrastructure investment projects in Türkiye and potential projects in Central Asia. We have secured over €500 million in financing from EBRD for our healthcare investment projects in the past, and we are now extending our collaboration to the real estate sector in Türkiye. I believe that our partnership will contribute to the ongoing recovery efforts in the earthquake-affected region, as part of our efforts to implement impactful projects to mitigate the effects of earthquakes.”

Kahramanmaraş Piazza is the only shopping centre in the city of Kahramanmaraş. Despite its location directly above the fault line, it remained intact and became a crucial focal point for the entire city following the February 6 earthquakes. It served as a help centre for urgent needs such as food and shelter for 1,000 people as a part of Rönesans Holding’s earthquake relief efforts, under the leadership of Erman Ilıcak, the President of Rönesans Holding.

Immediately following the 2023 earthquakes, Rönesans Holding and its 2,000 volunteers moved quickly to provide urgent needs for earthquake victims. Within two months of the devastating earthquakes, Rönesans Holding had created temporary living spaces designed for more than 10,000 people, prioritising the wellbeing of the most vulnerable members of society, especially women, children, and young people. The business has continued to support the relief and recovery efforts, launching additional programs to support the education and mental health of those affected by the earthquakes in recent months.

Rönesans Gayrimenkul Yatırım has also been an early leader in green building and implementing energy-saving initiatives since 2017, aiming to cover 40% of its energy consumption with renewable sources by 2025 and achieve 100% renewable energy usage in all projects by 2028. Rönesans Gayrimenkul Yatırım is intensively pursuing solar energy utilization in projects where climate conditions permit, to this end. With a particular focus on solar energy usage, it has achieved a pioneering milestone by obtaining the highest level of BREEAM In-Use certification for its portfolio of 10 properties, marking a groundbreaking achievement as the first in Türkiye and globally.

As of the end of 2023, Rönesans Gayrimenkul Yatırım , which has achieved an occupancy rate of over 97% in its shopping malls and welcomes close to 100 million visitors annually, continues its review process for its public offering, having submitted its applications to the Capital Markets Board (SPK) and Borsa Istanbul.

About Rönesans Group

Rönesans Holding, the conglomerate’s top investment entity headquartered in Ankara, is the 38th largest international contracting company globally and the 9th largest in Europe. With operations spanning 30 countries across Europe, Central Asia, and Africa, including subsidiaries such as Ballast
Nedam in the Netherlands and Heitkamp Industrial Solutions GmbH in Germany, Rönesans has been operating as the main contractor and investor successfully for 30 years in construction, real estate development, healthcare and energy. Putting resilience and growth through innovation at the core of the company, with a priority on sustainability and social development, Rönesans has developed projects supporting students with scholarships, academic platforms and initiatives; been a signatory of the UN Global Compact since 2015; and a signatory of the UN Women’s Empowerment Principles since 2016.

Rönesans Holding, under the leadership of its president, Erman Ilıcak, along with its partners GIC, Meridiam Infrastructure, Sojitz, Samsung C&T, TotalEnergies, and IFC of the World Bank Group (a minority shareholder in the group), has invested more than EUR8 billion into pioneering projects globally.

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Rönesans Holding

 

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Asia’s leading tech company to partner with Nagad

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DHAKA, Bangladesh, March 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Southeast Asia’s first tech billionaire Goh Peng Ooi has expressed his keen interest in partnering with Nagad, a leading mobile financial service provider based in Bangladesh, through his established Silverlake Group that provides financial software and digital services to banks.

The Malaysian fintech mogul first learnt about Nagad, went through relevant case studies, and gave the go-ahead – this will mark Silverlake Group’s first partnership initiative in South Asia.

Recently, Tanvir A. Mishuk, executive chairman and CEO of Nagad Ltd., received a warm invitation from Goh Peng Ooi at his residence in Malaysia. Impressed by Nagad’s customer-friendly innovations, acquisition of over 9 crore customers within just five years, and its unique business model, Goh Peng promptly expressed his interest in making the partnership Nagad. During this courtesy call, Mishuk also invited him to Nagad Ltd.

Founded in 1989, Silverlake Group currently provides support to more than 400 banks operating in over a hundred countries. Almost all banks in Singapore, including its two main banks United Overseas Bank (UOB) and Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation (OCBC), are heavily dependent on Silverlake’s technology. Its business collaborations extend across Europe, America, Australia, Africa, and Asia.

During the meeting with Tanvir A. Mishuk, Goh Peng Ooi said they had previously received multiple proposals from different companies in various South Asian countries, including Bangladesh and India, but they hadn’t found sufficient reasons to integrate them into Silverlake. However, they perceive Nagad differently in the realm of financial entities.

According to the proposal, Silverlake Group will offer Nagad the opportunity to utilise its most advanced banking technologies. Nagad believes this initiative will not only benefit Nagad but also bring significant changes to the entire banking sector in Bangladesh.

Talking about Goh Peng Ooi and Silverlake Group’s interest in partnering with Nagad, CEO of Nagad Ltd. Tanvir A. Mishuk, said, “I think this is not only good news for Nagad but also for the entire Bangladesh, as it creates the possibility of a massive change in the country’s banking landscape. We believe it will eventually play a transformative role for millions of people in the country.”

Inaugurated by Honourable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in 2019 as a mobile financial service, Nagad is now preparing to emerge as the country’s first digital bank in the middle of this year. Nagad has already introduced some ground-breaking innovations, leading to a transformation in the country’s financial industry. Nagad also hopes to continue to better serve its customers through its digital bank.

About Nagad Ltd (https://www.nagad.com.bd/)

Nagad Limited is one of the leading MFS operators in Bangladesh’s payment industry with 90 million registered customers and an average daily transaction of about USD 113 million. The digital payment platform, known as a successful public-private partnership between Bangladesh Postal Department and the private sector.

Contact:
Lincoln Md. Lutforzaman Sarker
Assistant Vice President (AVP),
Media and Communications, Nagad Limited.
Email: [email protected]

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Hakluyt’s 2023 accounts record another year of strong growth

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LONDON, March 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Hakluyt, the global strategic advisory firm for businesses and investors, recorded another period of robust financial growth in the year ending 30 June 2023, expanding its core advisory business while investing for the future.

The firm’s financial results, which were filed today with Companies House, show that revenue increased by 9% to a new record level, with a slightly lower profit margin reflecting substantial investment in the firm’s people and geographic footprint. During this period, Hakluyt opened new offices in Abu Dhabi and Toronto, and continued to recruit new talent worldwide.

Hakluyt also announced its first investment fund, Hakluyt Capital, during this period, which gives some of the world’s most promising growth-stage companies access to the firm’s unrivalled global connectivity, advice and expertise.  

Hakluyt’s managing partner, Varun Chandra, said: “As business leaders continue to face increasingly complex challenges, we have invested in the international reach and expertise of our team, which enable us to provide world-class counsel and connectivity where they are most needed. I am pleased that our core business grew substantially in the financial year 2022-23, and that operating profits remained strong. My thanks to every member of the brilliant Hakluyt team who has helped us deliver against our plan.”

Notes to editors:

Hakluyt is a strategic advisory firm that works with corporate leaders and investors around the world on their most important commercial issues. For more information on the firm, please visit www.hakluytandco.com 

 

 

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