How ACE-DS aims to develop more African data scientists

Data science, led by African scientists, could play a key role in addressing needs peculiar to the African continent, in addition to preventing the internal brain drain and exacerbating socioeconomic disparities within the continent.

The African Center of Excellence in Data Science (ACE-DS) is on a mission to train postgraduate students with combined expertise in statistics, computer science, engineering, business, and economics to use big data and data analytics to solve development challenges.

Based at the School of Business and Economics in the University of Rwanda, the ACE-DS positions Africa’s east and southern regions at the forefront of an evolving academic field that would foster collaborative partnerships between academia, the private sector, and government.

The center has been internationally accredited by the Data Science Council of America (DASCA), making it the first to get this recognition on the African continent. In the future, ACE-DS aims to be the go-to place for data scientists in Rwanda and the rest of the region.

ACE-DS is part of the World Bank ACE II project to strengthen selected higher education institutions in the East and Southern regions to deliver quality postgraduate education and foster collaborative research capacity in regional priority areas.