Following the successful launch of the first BACUDA Scholarship Programme, the WCO and SKKU announced the commencement of the Second BACUDA Scholarship Programme on Monday, 4 September 2023. This initiative, generously supported by CCF-Korea, aims to nurture and deploy data analytics professionals who can drive innovation and catalyze transformative change within their respective organizations, turning them into data-driven entities.
The programme is specifically tailored to benefit twelve Customs officers from WCO regions, spanning a five-month duration. Throughout this period, participants will delve into the intricacies of data analytics and its profound impact on Customs operations.
At the opening ceremony, participants were warmly welcomed by Dr. Taeil KANG, Director of the Capacity Building Directorate at the WCO, Dr. Ji Beom Yoo, President of SKKU, and Mr. Chul Hoon Lee, Head of the International Cooperation Division of the Korea Customs Service. All the speakers encouraged the enthusiastic participants, eager to expand their knowledge and practical skills in Data Analytics and its applications in the Customs field, to actively engage in discussions and debates. They expressed their full support for the scholarship programme.
The curriculum offers a wide array of courses on data analytics, ranging from introductory to expert levels. The programme will cover cutting-edge topics such as Big Data Analytics, Machine Learning, Blockchain, and algorithms developed by the BACUDA expert group, broadening the horizons of the participants. Domain experts, professors, and WCO staff have been invited to deliver these topics.
This year, the programme not only received individual applications but also introduced a group project for the development of analytic models for Customs. All participants are required to submit a Group Project proposal on the specific topic, which should, among other things, address the challenges their Customs administration faces regarding data usage, along with problem-solving methodologies, technical skills, and expected outcomes at the end of the programme.
The following countries are participating in the data analytics scholarship programme: Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, Ghana, Maldives, Mauritius, Mongolia, Namibia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, and Madagascar.
The WCO plans to continue providing this programme for officials from developing Member administrations.
For more information, please contact capacity.building@wcoomd.org or visit https://bacuda.wcoomd.org/.