Luksic Scholarships in Business Analytics concludes after training more than twenty professionals at MIT and the University of Chile

After three generations of professionals trained in data-driven decision-making at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the University of Chile, this year saw the graduation of the latest group of twelve Luksic Scholars from the Master’s and Certificate in Business Analytics program promoted by the Luksic Foundation.

The Luksic Scholarships for Business Analytics, offered by the Faculty of Economics and Business at the University of Chile and MIT, began in 2023 with the aim of strengthening data- and evidence-based decision-making in the country.

For two weeks, students experience total immersion at MIT, participating in intensive courses focused on data-driven strategic leadership, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and business analytics.

Javier Herrada, selected for the Luksic Scholarship and a sociologist with more than ten years of experience in public management, social program management, and data analysis, said that the knowledge they acquire “can contribute to Chile by guiding public policies toward impact, through optimization models to allocate scarce resources with explicit criteria, and (quasi) experimental designs to seriously measure which initiatives effectively improve people’s lives.”

Another of those selected, Florencia Ávila, an engineer specializing in database management and analysis, pointed out that “having the opportunity to learn firsthand about the research that sets the global standard in areas such as artificial intelligence, data analytics, and leadership allowed me to broaden my vision and develop a new way of looking at data from a more strategic perspective.”

The MIT campus experience includes lectures by world-class academics, visits to leading technology innovation companies, networking activities, and cultural tours of the city of Cambridge and the university campus. Upon completing this class, Luksic Scholars receive their certifications and become part of the MIT Alumni network.

Florencia Rubio, also a Luksic Scholar and engineer with experience in modeling, process optimization, and data analysis, emphasized that the real difference lies not only in technology, but also in how organizations manage and analyze their information: “The data already exists in organizations, regardless of the industry; with trained teams and an analytical and strategic approach, it is possible to generate very significant impacts.”

Along the same lines, but with regard to the public sector, Héctor Andrés Horta, commercial engineer and Luksic Scholar, argued that “government agencies must invest in artificial intelligence with a focus on accessibility for all sectors of society, thereby promoting the country’s development.”

With this latest generation, the program comes to an end after three years of training local talent at one of the world’s most renowned academic institutions. Trinidad García, Director of Formación Internacional at the Luksic Foundation, praised and highlighted the sustained collaboration with the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEN) of the University of Chile and MIT over the years. “This type of collaboration reaffirms our commitment to continue promoting international training opportunities that contribute to the development of students and professionals in Chile, thus contributing to the country’s growth.”

If you are interested in pursuing postgraduate studies abroad, check out the programs currently available at Fundación Luksic.