A new diploma in cloud strategy is aiming to help people tap into Ireland’s cloud-based innovation. University College Cork (UCC) and the Irish Management Institute (IMI) have just announced the course, which they are jointly developing with Microsoft Ireland.
The new cloud course would appear to be timely in terms of upskilling managers on cloud computing, with many companies migrating to the cloud. Late last year, Goodbody research pointed to cloud-based innovation in Ireland had the potential to deliver €9.4bn in sales annually and to create up to 8,600 new jobs across the country. Goodbody carried out the research on behalf of Microsoft at the time.
Speaking today, UCC president Dr Michael Murphy said the aim of the new diploma in cloud strategy would be to equip managers with the expertise to develop cloud strategies that deliver bottom-line value.
And the Government is also making cloud moves. Just today, Ireland’s Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Pat Rabbitte, TD, will be launching a new cloud and big data initiative called Cloud4Gov at Science Gallery at Trinity College Dublin. The aim of this initiative will be to give departments and agencies across the public sector the option to store, access, share and analyse their information in a private Government cloud. EMC has worked with the Government to pioneer Cloud4Gov, while IDA Ireland is also supporting the initiative.
Who is the cloud diploma aimed at?
The cloud course is targeted at technical and non-technical managers, entrepreneurs and graduates with industry experience.
As part of the programme, every participant will develop a “cloud strategy blueprint” for their organisation, said IMI executive chairman Dr Phil Nolan.
The diploma is also the first programme under UCC/IMI’s master of business qualification to incorporate an industry partnership.
Senior specialists at Microsoft will be giving workshops, alongside classroom discussion with UCC and IMI experts.
Microsoft Ireland’s managing director Paul Rellis spoke about how leveraging cloud-based opportunities requires a new way of thinking about information and its value to any organisation.
The part-time course will begin on 23 April at the IMI’s National Management Campus in Sandyford, Co Dublin. The IMI said the diploma can also act as a stepping stone to a full master of business qualification. IMI is currenty accepting applications for the course, with spaces for between 25 and 30 students. IMI said it will also look at holding multiple runs of the course.
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