Customisable Data Science Educational Environment: From Competences Management and Curriculum Design to Virtual Labs On-Demand

Data Science is an emerging field of science, which requires a multi-disciplinary approach and is based on the Big Data and data intensive technologies that both provide a basis for effective use of the data driven research and economy models. Modern data driven research and industry require new types of specialists that are capable to support all stages of the data lifecycle from data production and input to data processing and actionable results delivery, visualisation and reporting, which can be jointly defined as the Data Science professions family. The education and training of Data Scientists currently lacks a commonly accepted, harmonized instructional model that reflects all multi-disciplinary knowledge and competences that are required from the Data Science practitioners in modern, data driven research and the digital economy. The educational model and approach should also solve different aspects of the future professionals that includes both theoretical knowledge and practical skills that must be supported by corresponding education infrastructure and educational labs environment. In modern conditions with the fast technology change and strong skills demand, the Data Science education and training should be customizable and delivered in multiple form, also providing sufficient data labs facilities for practical training. This paper discussed both aspects: building customizable Data Science curriculum for different types of learners and proposing a hybrid model for virtual labs that can combine local university facility and use cloud based Big Data and Data analytics facilities and services on demand. The proposed approach is based on using the EDISON Data Science Framework (EDSF) developed in the EU funded Project EDISON and CYCLONE cloud automation systems being developed in another EU funded project CYCLONE.