IBM, Fluor, USC to Offer Personalized IT Learning at Applied Innovation Center

IBM, Fluor and the University of South Carolina have unveiled a new Center for Applied Innovation as part of their public-private partnership and efforts to deliver personalized learning on analytics and higher education application services.

IBM said Friday the team aims to help students acquire further information technology skills and knowledge, particularly in the field of applied computing, and to develop future IT and business professionals.

“By using advanced technologies and data analytics the collaboration will help students, educators and others in higher education make intelligent decisions that improve the student experience and enhance student achievement,” said USC President Harris Pastides.

USC’s Darla Moore School of Business and College of Engineering and Computing will link with companies across North America for internship and business opportunities, IBM said.

The company added that IBM Research will provide the data and technology applications to facilitate talent management for USC faculty and staff and tailored learning for students.

Fluor will act as a strategic adviser to the center, which will initially be based at the USC campus in Columbia, South Carolina, before a planned move to the state’s Innovista Research District in 2016.