UAE ranked No 5 globally in business skills and making strides in data science, Coursera says – The National

UAE ranked No 5 globally in business skills and making strides in data science, Coursera says – The National

Businesses are spending more money and time on building skills in technology and data science amid the pandemic, CEO says

















Coursera has added 15 million new students to its platform since the start of the pandemic, with the majority taking courses in business, tech or data science. Getty







The UAE is a global leader in business talent and is making strides in data science skills, according to the online learning platform Coursera, which was founded by Stanford University professors.



The UAE ranks 1st in the Middle East and Africa and 5th globally in business skills like management, marketing and sales. In data science, which emphasises mathematics and statistics and underpins automation, the UAE ranked 4th in MEA and 50th globally, according to the 2020 Global Skills Index.





"Even through layoffs and furloughs and this disruption, businesses are spending more money more quickly to build data science and technology skills than they were before the pandemic," Jeff Maggioncalda, chief executive of Coursera, told The National.



Coursera found institutions navigating the Covid-19 pandemic are continuing to prioritise the improvement of skills that underpin the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Over two-thirds of enrollments