Drake University partners with Panama innovation hub for new degree programs

More than one year after expressing its wish to make the Republic of Panama a “global outpost” of Bulldog education and outreach, Drake University announced Tuesday it will launch new degree pathways for Panamanian students in partnership with social innovation community organization.

The Des Moines private university will work with Ciudad del Saber, or City of Knowledge, to offer a three-year degree program in which students would earn a bachelor’s degree in data analytics and a minor in artificial intelligence, according to a news release. Students would also have the option to pursue other programs through a “2+2” model, the release stated, where students would finish their first two years of study in Panama, then come to Drake to complete their degrees.

Ciudad del Saber is located in Panama City in front of the Panama Canal, its website stated, and is described as “an innovative community that drives social change through humanism, science and business.” The campus houses different groups and organizations in education, research, entrepreneurship, science and technology, the release stated.

“At Ciudad del Saber, we are committed to elevating Panama’s academic landscape by attracting world-class higher education institutions,” said Jorge Arosemena Román, executive president of the Ciudad del Saber Foundation, in the release. “Drake University brings immense value through a cutting-edge program focused on Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence. This initiative will empower local talent, build critical capabilities, and contribute meaningfully to our country’s development.”

The accelerated data analytics program will take students three years and one summer to complete, and will be offered entirely on the Ciudad del Saber campus. Those who go through this program will have a “guaranteed internship with a leading Panamanian company or organization,” the release stated.

Students enrolled in a 2+2 program will spend their first two years in Panama City as well, according to the release, where they’ll study “liberal arts curriculum” as well as data analytics and AI. Once they come to Des Moines to complete their Drake education, students can keep studying these topics or branch out into computer science, information systems, international business or other areas of study, the release stated.

Those studying in the U.S. will have the chance to apply for the federal Operational Practical Training program, the release stated, which would allow them to work in the U.S. for one year, with potential extension.

“This program is built to meet the growing demand for data analysts and artificial intelligence experts worldwide,” said Drake University President Marty Martin in the release. “With Drake’s deep and long-standing ties to the Republic of Panama, a demand for professionals that is outpacing the global talent pipeline, and Panama’s position as a thriving hub for the global supply chain, we couldn’t be more excited to bring this highly in-demand program to fruition at Ciudad del Saber.”

This article first appeared in the Iowa Capital Dispatch.