Kingston University's first Office for Students scholars graduate with MSc in data science

The first cohort of Office for Students (OfS) scholars have graduated from Kingston's Data Science (MSc) course during the University's January graduation ceremonies.

The scholarship, worth £10,000 per student, was launched after the University was named one of 30 institutions across the country to receive funding from an £8.1m Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and Office for Artificial Intelligence pot, awarded by the OfS. Furthermore, two industry partners – Anthesis Group and Carbon Trade eXchange – joined with Kingston University and the OfS to provide further scholarships, live briefs, and guest lectures for the students on the Data Science programme.

The grants, an extension of a programme first launched in 2019, provide additional opportunities for applicants from underrepresented groups, including Black, female and disabled students, as well as those from lower socio-economic backgrounds, to undertake a postgraduate conversion course in AI and data science.

Ashley Daud received one of the OfS scholarships and is currently studying on the course. She said: "Being given the chance to become one of the few Black women entering the tech field is a significant achievement, especially given the lack of diversity in the field. The support from lecturers, the resources, the workshops, and the diverse motivated classmates have made it easier.

"I'm excelling in the course and I'm incredibly grateful that the scholarship gave me the chance to pursue my passion. Transitioning from biomedical science to data science was a challenge I never expected to take on, but here I am, and I'm forever thankful for the opportunity."

There are 13 scholarships available, and it enables eligible students who may have a background outside traditional science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) subject areas to move into the sector as part of government aims to address the country's digital skills gaps and increase diversity.

Students from non-STEM backgrounds took part in an introductory two-week bootcamp to hone the technical skills needed for the course. As well as introducing students to core data science skills, such as programming, statistics and data modelling, the bootcamp included sessions led by industry guest speakers and high-achieving alumni discussing the wide variety of career opportunities open to graduates.

Senior lecturer in Computer Science and current Data Science (MSc) course leader Dr Farzana Rahman said: "This conversion course at Kingston University provides an inclusive pathway for students from non-technical backgrounds, equipping them through a structured bootcamp to collaborate effectively with peers from computing disciplines. By attracting underrepresented groups, it enhances diversity and addresses the UK tech sector's knowledge gap, supporting the development and retention of top AI and data science talent."

The course is designed to be accessible to students from a variety of backgrounds and offer flexible study patterns. It combines modules in data management, analysis, modelling, visualisation, and artificial intelligence, with opportunities for paid placements and close links to industry.

 Head of Department of Computer Science & Mathematics James Denholm-Price said the hard work from both students and staff on the Data Science (MSc) and success of the in-house boot camp is clear from the results. "The data science scholars all have non-STEM backgrounds yet on their taught modules they averaged marks slightly higher than their peers with STEM qualifications, and almost all of those who graduated recently at the end of the one- year scholarship achieved an MSc with Distinction or Merit," he said.

• Find out more about postgraduate finance and scholarships
• Find out more about studying MSc Data Science (Conversion) at Kingston University