By Samuel Akumatey, GNA
Ho, Sept. 26, GNA – The University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) has joined a data crunch competition of the Ghana Statistical Service with four other Universities in the country.
The hacking project is aimed at promoting products and tools of the national data service.
A 36-hour live streamed run is programmed for each event, during which members of six teams are expected to utilise one of the data sources by the GSS on an intensive data analysis project of choice, including research, information development, and innovation.
The three best groups from each University would face off for a national final.
Ms Yaa Opuni Amankwa, Registrar of the University, kicking off the local competition held at the main campus in Ho, commended the GSS, and the University management for making real the event, and said such it was an opportunity to sell the unique institution.
“We cannot wait to see students excel again at what they do best. UHAS loves competition. Our students love it, and we are privileged to join other academic institutions.”
The event, which took off at 0800 hours Monday, would conclude Tuesday with the launch of the StatsBank.
The other four universities taking part in the contest are the University of Ghana, University of Cape Coast, the University of Development Studies, and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.
Mr Peter Mwinlaaru, a data scientist with the GSS, said at the launch that the institutions were selected for regional representation.
He said statistics was a public resource, and thus the project sought to sell its wide-based applications.
“The GSS wants to let people know what is available and where to be found. Its a way of advertising our products and letting people know where they are and how we can get them”.
Students should be able to know what data is available to aid their research, he said of benefits to the academic community.
The StatsBank is an online platform that provides comprehensive data, including census indicators for a wide range of users such as the research community, and policy makers.
GNA