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Originally from Greece, Dr. Eirini Koukovini Platia has an impressive academic background in applied mathematics and physics, along with a PhD in accelerator physics from the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) and CERN. After two postdoctoral positions, she decided to move from academia to industry and sought a recognised qualification to support her move.
She chose the École Polytechnique EPFL Applied Data Science and Machine Learning programme. Her passion for data science, with its connections to statistics, mathematics, and problem-solving, made it an ideal choice, especially with its broad industrial applications.
“The instructor’s support during the capstone project was invaluable, offering not only guidance but also insightful discussions on directions to explore, particularly as I chose to work on an NLP project that went beyond the program curriculum.”
Founded in 1969, EPFL is one of the world’s most innovative institutes of technology and the leading technical university in Switzerland. With over 130 nationalities represented in its student body, it is one of the top three most international universities globally as well. Here, students are pursuing cutting-edge programmes that train them to be the next generation of engineers, scientists, and architects.
The setting? An ecosystem rich with research opportunities. With over 500 laboratories and research groups, EPFL is at the forefront of scientific and technological advancements. From the Blue Brain Project to the Venice Time Machine, EPFL researchers are addressing critical societal challenges in areas such as data science, personalised health, robotics, and renewable energy.
Another way EPFL contributes to solutions for our time’s grand challenges is through its innovation efforts. While scientific research plants the seed for tomorrow’s innovations, an Innovation Team ensures its research finds its way into society. Whether it’s climate change or ageing populations, the team is always setting up new programmes to encourage entrepreneurship and new thematic initiatives to strengthen collaboration with businesses.
EPFL Extension School is where you can upskill at the scientific forefront, thanks to over 500 laboratories and research groups that call EPFL home. Source: EPFL Extension School
Extending your employability
Over at EPFL’s Extension School, the goal is more specific: translating cutting-edge knowledge into skills that respond to the evolving needs of professionals, the economy, and society. The school extends access to EPFL’s teaching and resources to prepare today’s workers for the future of work.
“Our programmes aim to help people to expand their knowledge without having to take a break from their chosen career paths,” says course instructor Christian Lübbe. “As such, we are upskilling the existing generation of engineers and scientists to keep abreast with the latest developments, leverage the associated new technologies, and, as a result, stay at the top of their respective fields.”
The EPFL Extension School offers a range of programmes tailored to current and future industry needs. These include foundational and advanced courses in data science, coding, and machine learning. Each course equips you with hands-on, practical skills that can be immediately applied in professional roles.
For instance, the Foundations of Data Science programme introduces learners to data management and analysis using R. They learn to clean, analyse, and extract insights from datasets to make informed decisions.
Similarly, the Thinking and Creating with Code programme teaches JavaScript and Python programming while nurturing problem-solving skills. Learners create apps, websites, and games, honing practical abilities that apply to other programming languages.
Meanwhile, the Applied Data Science: Machine Learning programme provides exposure and engagement in machine learning, data acquisition, and predictive analysis, culminating in a capstone project and earning an EPFL Certificate of Open Studies worth 15 ECTS credits.
Another standout programme is Applied Data Science: Communication & Visualisation, where you build skills to create impactful data visualisations and effectively communicate findings to diverse audiences.
EPFL drives progress in Switzerland through industry collaboration, entrepreneurship programmes, and initiatives to strengthen business partnerships. Source: EPFL Extension School
What sets EPFL Extension School apart
At EPFL Extension School, learners come first. It’s important that you receive high quality education, hence why each programme ensures you get to adapt and apply theoretical concepts to practical challenges. Weekly one-on-one video calls with course instructors provide personalised guidance, and capstone projects allow learners to address real-world problems within their companies or industries.
“Our programme focuses on the implementation of different concepts and approaches in real-life examples,” Lübbe says. “Our learners discover how to adapt these techniques to the wide range of scenarios and potential complications that exist in real life.”
Dr. Platia agrees. “The hands-on projects involving machine learning algorithms and data exploration provided invaluable experience,” she says. “However, the most rewarding aspect of my time at EPFL was the opportunity to tackle a real-world problem using actual data in collaboration with OilX, an award-winning start-up.”
Various workshops, hackathons, and conferences are also held to promote data science. The partnership with PowerCoders and the conference at the Applied Machine Learning Days (AMLD) have been rewarding initiatives. PowerCoders focuses on upskilling refugees and migrants, helping them integrate more easily into a labour market short of skilled workers. The AMLD conference, on the other hand, brings together a diverse audience from different backgrounds to explore and drive the future of AI and machine learning.
“Like our online programmes, our AMLD workshops aim to enable non-specialists to update their skill basis and start to integrate these concepts and techniques in their companies,” Lübbe says.
These experiences enhance knowledge and skills as effectively as they open doors to career advancement. Many participants use their newfound expertise to tackle challenges in their current roles, while others find the confidence and competence to pivot to new career paths. As graduates, they have greater employability, innovation, and growth – elements set to future-proof many careers.
Learn more about the programmes at EPFL Extension School.
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