“A demanding, but highly rewarding program”: a testimonial by Robbert Driehuijs, alumnus of the Master for Smart Data Science

In 2023, Robbert Driehuijs joined the Master for Smart Data Science, as part of a double degree program with the Erasmus School of Economics – Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam. Now a data analyst at Air France-KLM, he looks back at his experience at ENSAI, highlighting the skills gained in one intensive academic year.  

ENSAI has established double degree programs with several European universities to facilitate student mobility for both incoming and outgoing students. One such program is with the Erasmus School of Economics in the Netherlands. Students in the MSc in Econometrics and Management Science earn a double degree after completing ENSAI’s Master for Smart Data Science. 

My academic background: from Econometrics and Management Science to Data Science

Robbert Driehuijs: “I am originally from The Netherlands. I completed a Bachelor’s degree in Econometrics and Management Science in three years, followed by a Master’s in the same field, which included a semester abroad in South Korea. Most of my studies took place during the Covid period, when physical teaching and campus life were very limited. As a result, although the years flew by, it often felt as though my university experience had only just begun by the time I graduated. 

After completing my Master’s, I realized that I had not been challenged as much as I had hoped, particularly in terms of practical application. Around that time, I spoke with a friend who was applying to this tough program focused on mathematics and programming with a strong practical orientation. That immediately sounded good to me. I felt that I could work on a more hands-on experience in my studies.

This program seemed like the ideal final challenge, an opportunity to deepen and test my skills before moving on to the next phase of my life. 

 

Choosing ENSAI and the Master for Smart Data Science

Although I was not initially very familiar with ENSAI, I already had a positive impression due to its collaboration with the Econometrics program during my earlier studies. I had learned about the dual degree partnership with the university during a presentation in my first year, which I remembered 5 years later. This long collaboration made me confident of the quality and reputation of the program. France itself was not the most important factor but I was eager to gain more international experience after studying in South Korea. France therefore felt closer to home, but still an academic and personal opportunity to broaden my knowledge. 

The program is demanding, but highly rewarding. With the amazing support of the teaching staff, who are very engaged with the class and approachable, it is possible to learn a lot in a short time. The pace is intense, but flexible and manageable.

The teaching structure encourages progress by combining theoretical classes with real life applications, usually the same day! It happened that the study session continued during the evening, but sometimes you just really want to solve a particular (coding) problem.

The program strengths: the theory/ practice balance and the faculty

One of the main strengths of the Master for Smart Data Science is the balance between theory and practice. Some courses focus on a strong theoretical foundation, while others focus on real-world applications, such as developing a movie recommender system or conducting NLP analyses. This combination was the most valuable lesson to me, as the high pace forces you to think and process information fast.

Another key strength is the quality and diversity of the teaching staff, which includes academic experts and industry professionals. In addition, the relatively small class size creates a supportive learning environment where staff and students learn from each other. Students come from diverse academic and cultural backgrounds, which enhances the learning experience. For example, some students had strong programming skills, others specialized in statistics, and one of my classmates came from the French Navy, bringing a highly disciplined mentality. He was always the first one to arrive and was always well-prepared for whatever was to come that day.

Applying the skills I gained during the program in my daily work

In my current role as a Data Analyst at Air France-KLM, I work with a wide variety of data sources and structures, each requiring different processing techniques. The skills I developed at ENSAI are very applicable in this context. In particular, the experience of working with multiple programming languages and tools for the different courses allows me to adapt quickly to different tasks and data structures. Overall, I think the level of education at ENSAI was so high that I feel confident in entering any conversation on data analysis. 

Who is the Master for Smart Data Science for? My advice for prospective students

I would recommend this program to students who are looking for an academic challenge with a strong emphasis on practical application. It is particularly interesting when you are interested in taking a step back to really understand core concepts and how to select appropriate tools for tackling modern data problems. Being proactive and willing to collaborate and learn from fellow students will help you get the most out of this master’s.”

The Master for Smart Data Science at ENSAI is a program taught entirely in English. Lectures in statistics, applied mathematics and computer science are given by academics and professionals in Data Science during the first semester. The second semester is devoted to the final internship, which may be completed in the private sector or in a research environment. 

Do you want to become an expert in data science? Learn more about ENSAI’s Smart Data Science Master’s program.