Tecnun, Merck and IBM to train healthcare professionals and managers in Big Data and Artificial Intelligence applied to the healthcare sector

Merck, IBM and Tecnun have signed a agreementde partnershipwhose goalis the launch of the "Smart Health" training programme on the Digital Transformation that the inclusion of technologies such as Big Data and Artificial Intelligence entail in the Biomedical Sector.

The agreementsigned by the three entities is based on the detection of a specific need in the sector: to digitally train active healthcare professionals and managers to adapt and apply the benefits offered by AI and Big Data to transform and improve healthcare attendance.

This is a programme proposed by Merck, a leading science and technology company specialising in the areas of Healthcare, Life Science and Electronics, aimed at healthcare professionals and managers in the healthcare sector; devised by IBM, a global leader in the hybrid cloud and Artificial Intelligence industry; and whose execution will be led by the Centre for Biomedical Engineering of the University of Navarra reference letterat teachinghigher in the Biosanitary field.

Horacio Morell, President of IBM Spain, Portugal, Greece and Israel, emphasised during the signatureof agreementthe great importance for IBM of trainingin digital skills and technological innovation, especially in the health sector, and the firm commitment that the company maintains with Education. "As businesstechnology, it is our responsibility to encourage and promote joint projects between companies and the academic world to help address the great training challengewe are facing and support the developmentof new digital skills, so necessary in the digital transformation in which we are immersed", explained Horacio Morell, who also noted that, "not surprisingly, IBM has launched this year a global plan to train 30 million people around the world and of all ages, in the new digital skills needed for the jobs of the future before 2030".

For his part, Miguel Fernández Alcalde, director general manager of Merck in Spain, said that "we are experiencing a paradigm shift by the incorporation of technology based on artificial intelligence in the health sector" and that "with this alliance Merck reinforces its commitment to innovation to generate the maximum benefit to society. The incorporation of AI in the health sector will facilitate the findingof new therapeutic targets, the generation of scientific evidence, the improvement in patient care, diagnostic imaging or individualised medicine, as well as many other aspects that will contribute to improving the sustainability of the system".

As for Tecnun, the director of developmentof the School of Engineering, Iñigo Gutiérrez, pointed out that "for Tecnun it means consolidating our position in the trainingof Life Long Learning hand in hand with two top level companies. The data analysisin the Bio field is one of the strengths of the University of Navarra, so we feel very comfortable in this area. Sharing this projectwith a leading science and technology company like Merck and a great technology company like IBM is a pleasure for us. Forming this subjectof alliances is one of Tecnun's strategic objectives".

The training programme, which is part of the Professional Programs of the University of Navarra, begins with two courses:

- Smart Health Awareness, an introductory programme aimed at healthcare professionals and managers who want or need to start becoming aware of what Big Data and AI technologies entail and how they are revolutionising their sector.

- Smart Healthan advanced executive programme aimed at healthcare professionals and managers in the health sector who already have a certain level of knowledge of knowledgeabout these technologies and who see imminent or are already starting to carry out this digital transformation in their centres and/or in the implementation of their work.

For this commitment and with the goalto understand the technologies, methods, approaches and tools used in the developmentof AI and Big Data analytical solutions, the programme will be illustrated with concrete examples of application in real cases. At the same time, and thanks to this agreement, teachers and students will have the know-how of experts in IBM technologies and will have access to the company's technology to carry out demonstrations and examples, as well as exercises and practices when applicable according to the programme and content.