- Customer Success Stories
- The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong
Advanced analytics empowers businesses with data-driven decisions
Hang Seng University of Hong Kong inspires organizations to make strategic decisions using using SAS® Viya®
More business opportunities via innovative analytics
The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong achieved this using • SAS® Viya®
The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong uses SAS Viya to nurture next-generation analytical talent and aid small to mid-size businesses
Analytics are playing a large role in creating abundant opportunities for businesses of all sizes to compete with much larger companies. Business owners are making bold moves and relying on data-driven decisions offered by powerful technologies such as, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and advanced analytics. These innovative technologies enable companies to better plan key strategic initiatives while improving relationships with both customers and business partners.
However, in Hong Kong, there are several barriers facing companies when it comes to data analytics deployment. Small to mid-size businesses and start-ups tend not to be sizeable enough to make large investments in infrastructure, and it is difficult for them to recruit the right IT talent with the required skillsets. Thankfully, The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong (HSUHK) – a non-profit, private university – decided to take on the challenge of supporting these businesses.
Since the university was founded, HSUHK and SAS have been collaboratively offering industry-recognized professional credentials through their certification program to nurture next-generation analytical talent. HSUHK and SAS jointly launched the Big Data Intelligence Center (BDIC) in 2020 to address the market’s data analytic needs and challenges in Hong Kong.
Data has fundamentally changed the way businesses compete and operate, becoming one of the most valuable assets to any organization or policy maker. Innovative methods in data extraction, analysis, integration and visualization are instrumental in unleashing the potential of data, according to Ricky Wong, Associate Professor at HSUHK .
“SAS has an extensive footprint across different industries, supporting companies with its industry-leading analytic technologies to transform raw data into valuable insights,” Wong says. “We are pleased to further enhance our long-term partnership with SAS by establishing the Big Data Intelligence Center, powered by the innovative SAS Viya, in helping organizations make smart decisions based on trusted analytics.”
The long-term partnership with SAS empowers us to offer professional training to analytics practitioners and establish an advanced data hub to help businesses scale and operationalize insights. Ricky Wong Associate Professor, School of Decision Sciences The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong
An innovative data hub for the digital era
The center aims to address the growing demand from businesses across all industries for a fuller understanding of big data and spread big data related knowledge to academia, practitioners and government units. With the cloud-native Viya platform, the center can undertake relevant, high-quality applied research in AI and business analytics. The data will allow the center to better understand the issues and demands of the community.
The center also works on projects that incorporate analytics into everyday business practices. It covers methodologies such as business process management, predictive analysis, data mining, IoT, systems simulation and optimization. Wong points out that organizations that use analytics can increase productivity by 5% to 10% more than those that don’t. The university believes that the applications of these methodologies improve an organization’s capabilities in evaluating process performance, making sound decisions and creating more accurate business forecasting.
School of Decision Sciences, HSUHK – Facts & Figures
2014
year founded
1,088
students
41
academic staff
Pioneering projects addressing local market needs
The newly launched BDIC has started several pioneering projects addressing the issues and opportunities found in various sectors in Hong Kong, including e-commerce, logistics, health science and social welfare. Viya streamlines data preparation with native access engines, integrated data quality and data preparation tools that use AI to automate time-consuming tasks.
One project they have started researching is the use of predictive analytics. The predictive result of data can enhance the design of organizational business strategies. For example, using predictive market research combined with customer behavior can help produce personalized loyalty campaigns that improve market segmentation. These results will be able to help organizations optimize business decision-making.
BDIC will collaborate with corporations and institutes, acting as a focal point of interdisciplinary research on data science, to conduct more high-quality fundamental and applied research.
Driving a long-term partnership further
More organizations in Hong Kong are harnessing data to gain a competitive advantage and fuel business growth, especially during the “new normal” during and after COVID-19.
Companies began collecting more data than ever in 2020, embarking on the digital transformation journey, further accelerating the use of sophisticated analytics.
“BDIC is committed to supporting business organizations with innovative SAS analytics tools to help them survive, revive and thrive through COVID-19 and beyond,” Wong says. “We look forward to driving our collaboration with SAS even further so we can support companies using advanced analytics.”
The results illustrated in this article are specific to the particular situations, business models, data input, and computing environments described herein. Each SAS customer’s experience is unique based on business and technical variables and all statements must be considered non-typical. Actual savings, results, and performance characteristics will vary depending on individual customer configurations and conditions. SAS does not guarantee or represent that every customer will achieve similar results. The only warranties for SAS products and services are those that are set forth in the express warranty statements in the written agreement for such products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. Customers have shared their successes with SAS as part of an agreed-upon contractual exchange or project success summarization following a successful implementation of SAS software. Brand and product names are trademarks of their respective companies.