Learn to Lead to Growth with a Carnegie Mellon Advanced Analytics Certificate

Carnegie Mellon Certificate in Advanced Analytics Helps Managers Lead their Organization to Growth

Prof. Willem-Jan van Hoeve sheds light on this pioneering academic program led by the industry’s brightest minds

Professor Willem-Jan van Hoeve

Today’s increasingly competitive and fast-paced business landscape demands advanced analytics expertise. Thriving businesses understand that superior analytic capabilities provide a key competitive advantage. But there is a shortage of talent. The U.S. alone may face a 50 to 60% gap between supply and demand of analysts with advanced skills. Carnegie Mellon’s Tepper School of Business and ORTEC Consulting have teamed up to address this need and help managers gain a deeper understanding of how analytics impact business results. Their collaboration has resulted in an Advanced Analytics Operations Optimization Certificate. Willem-Jan Van Hoeve, Associate Professor of Operations Research at Tepper School of Business, explains why managers should join this program.

Willem-Jan, could you tell us more about yourself and how your interest in analytics emerged?

As a kid, I always liked to program and had an interest in math. However, I first took interest in analytics and operations research while I was a student of Jan Bisschop, the founder of AIMMS, at the University of Twente. After completing my Master’s in Applied Mathematics at Twente, I started a PhD in Computer Science at the University of Amsterdam. Shortly thereafter, I did my postdoc at the Computer Science department at Cornell University.

My career at Tepper started in 2007. I teach mostly MBA courses, including the program’s basic optimization course and several electives on advanced optimization methods.

Why did you choose Tepper School of Business and what makes the university compelling to students?

Carnegie Mellon is a top school, those active in the arts and drama space will definitely agree. But it is also very well known for its Computer Science and Machine Learning departments. This combination of tech and fine arts makes for a very creative and innovative environment. Pittsburgh itself makes for an interesting campus location. Tech companies like Uber and Google are developing new technologies and growing their team in the city. There’s lots of exciting things happening on and around campus.

Tepper in particular is perhaps the most quantitative and analytical business school in the United States, so for a program such as the Advanced Analytics Certificate we are the best choice.

A quick glance at the University’s Wikipedia page will also reveal some interesting facts. Carnegie Mellon is constantly ranked among the top 25 universities in the U.S. and is associated with 19 Nobel Laureates. Some notable names include John Forbes Nash, a member of the class of 1948 and winner of the 1994 Nobel Prize in Economics, and Alan Perlis, a 1943 graduate who was the recipient of the first ever Turing award.

What is advanced analytics?

To answer this question, we first need to look at traditional analytics. Analytics have been used in industry since the late 1940s. These older forms of analytics were basically data manipulation and were mostly done in small groups. Marketing had its own tools, operations departments had their own tools.

Today, we are seeing an abundance of good data, better algorithms and faster computers. Managers recognize that they can go beyond data manipulation and use data to answer more difficult questions, and ultimately to make better decisions. Traditional analytical tools cannot be applied to data of this size, though. So you not only need larger databases, but also more advanced technologies.

Advanced analytic capabilities enable you to build different models in order to find optimal solutions to different scenarios, and adjust your strategic plans accordingly. This demand from the field is driving the field of advanced analytics.

Who can benefit from Carnegie Mellon’s Advanced Analytics Operations Optimization Certificate?

This academic program is important for:

Mid-level managers who want to improve processes in their company and want to be more competitive. They can learn about the available tools and skills and gain more knowledge about what is technically feasible while improving their leadership capabilities. This leadership component is very important as it’s equally important for them to motivate upper management and communicate with their team.
Senior developers who are in charge of implementing new analytics initiatives can also benefit from the program.
Line managers who are responsible for operations and need to communicate new projects to entities in their organization would also be ideal participants for this academic training.

Is it important to learn from people with practical experience as well?

Yes, that is why ORTEC’s participation is crucial. ORTEC will be responsible for developing a more hands-on project and translate academic knowledge into practice. Bringing leadership and analytical methodology together is important, but there’s more to implementation in practice. Students may have more practical questions that academics cannot answer. Having people with industrial experience is part of what distinguishes this program. You can learn to implement advanced analytics in real life.

Why did you choose ORTEC as partner for this program?

ORTEC is a leading consulting company in this domain. They are experts at applying optimization in practice. They also developed the GO Academy with TNT and Tilburg University in Europe. This success story, which contributed to TNT winning the Edelman Award in 2012, is one of the reasons we chose ORTEC as a partner for the optimization in practice project.

Join

Join Carnegie Mellon’s Advanced Analytics Certificate for Operations Optimization to:

Build superior analytic and managerial capabilities for enhanced planning, strategic decision-making and organizational performance.Directly apply newly-acquired skills to real time organizational challenges with the support of a Project Coach.
Master the latest, state-of-the-art analytic tools and techniques to achieve and maintain competitive advantage.
Differentiate yourself professionally with a Carnegie Mellon Tepper School of Business Certificate.

About Professor Willem-Jan van Hoeve

Willem-Jan van Hoeve is an award-winning researcher and professor that specializes in the development of new algorithmic methodologies for discrete optimization. He has a Master’s Degree in Applied Mathematics from the University of Twente and a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Amsterdam.

ORTEC and Education

ORTEC, which has offices in the United States, Europe, Australia, Brazil and Singapore, has a history in customized education courses in Europe. Several of ORTEC’s senior experts are affiliated with the world’s top universities where they teach mathematics and operations research courses and guide graduate student research. The University of Amsterdam and ORTEC established a very successful joint education program with a similar purpose: bringing analytics within the reach of any company.

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