IBM and National University of Singapore Partner to Offer Watson Cognitive Systems Education in Southeast Asia

SINGAPORE, 14 October 2014 – IBM (NYSE: IBM) and National University of Singapore (NUS) today signed an agreement to offer the first Watson-based cognitive computing education in Southeast Asia that will allow students to develop business innovations and gain a competitive advantage. Students will have unprecedented access to IBM’s Watson cognitive technology and the opportunity to collaborate with experts on the development of new solutions fueled by Watson’s capabilities.

Watson represents a new era of computing based on its ability to interact in natural language, process vast amounts of disparate forms of big data and learn from each interaction. According to technology research firm Gartner, Inc., smart machines will be the most disruptive change ever brought about by information technology, making people more effective and empowering them to “do the impossible.”1 The new endeavor between IBM and NUS aims to nurture a new generation of innovators to bring to life the new dynamic of people and machines working together to resolve business challenges.

“As a leader in education and research in cognitive computing research, NUS aims to groom industry-ready students who can harness this combination of science and technology to create innovative products and services,” said NUS President Professor Tan Chorh Chuan.

“It is crucial for our students to be able to work with the most cutting-edge systems and technologies, and hence we are truly excited about this partnership with IBM which will enable this through a multidisciplinary and systematic approach. Our School of Computing and Business School are already immersed in a close collaboration with IBM in Business Analytics. This new initiative takes our strategic alliance with IBM to a new level.  Our students and faculty members will benefit greatly by gaining access to the latest generation of capabilities from IBM offered by Watson technologies,” Prof Tan added.

The collaboration between IBM Watson Group and leading academics from NUS will provide the technical know-how and hands-on learning experience for students.  This will extend cognitive systems activities at NUS School of Computing and NUS Business School through an integrative real-world learning experience based on Watson.

Students will learn about Watson and its underlying technologies that are required to develop cognitive systems applications. They will be grouped into project teams to develop prototype applications and a business plan for their Watson industry of choice such as, banking, retail or telecommunications.

Selected undergraduate and post-graduate students from NUS School of Computing, NUS Business School and NUS Business Analytics Center will be enrolled in early 2015 for this unprecedented Watson-based cognitive systems experience in Asia.

Working closely with NUS, IBM Watson Group will provide a range of resources and support, including:  IBM world-class developers and researchers, to advise on new content and implementation;   Guest lectures to be conducted by senior IBM executives and thought leaders;   IBM Watson technical mentors to provide guidance, as students work with Watson and build prototypes of cognitive business applications; and   Access to IBM Watson through the Watson Developer Cloud.

“We are entering into the era of cognitive computing which has the potential to be a game-changer across diverse industries,” said Janet Ang, Managing Director, IBM Singapore.  “As the leader in Big Data and analytics, IBM is excited to be partnering with Asia’s top university to bring cognitive computing to the classrooms and put Watson into the hands of our future innovators. Through the collaboration with NUS and other Watson initiatives in Singapore, we hope to be able to continually play an integral role in Singapore’s development towards becoming one of the world’s smarter cities.”

This agreement between IBM and NUS cements Watson’s roots in the academic community and deepens the existing partnership between both institutions in Business Analytics and other domains in science and technology.

IBM Watson: Pioneering a New Era of Computing

IBM Watson represents a new era of computing in which apps and systems interact with human users more naturally, augment our knowledge with Big Data insights, and learn to improve how they assist us.

Fueled by innovation from a mission to transform industries and professions, Watson is uniquely positioned at the forefront of the new era of computing, evidenced by an unmatched demonstration of what cognitive systems can bring to transform decision- making. IBM is delivering a range of cloud-based products and services to clients in industries such as banking, healthcare, insurance, retail and education.

For more information on IBM Watson, visit: www.ibmwatson.com

To join the social discussion about Watson, include the hashtag #ibmwatson. Follow Watson on Facebook and see Watson on YouTube and Flickr.