Top countries to study in for a career in data science

As a world-leader in technological development, Germany is in constant demand of skilled data scientists able to organise, store and safeguard the information that their technology companies are constantly collecting. 

Two German universities made it into our Data Science and Artificial Intelligence subject ranking: Technical University of Munich, which ranked 20th in the world, and RWTH Aachen University, which ranked 51-100.  

As mentioned, one of the most prominent industries in Germany which is in need of employees with a specialised knowledge of data science is the technology industry.  

Germany is a leader of technological innovation with international companies such as Google, Amazon and Meta having German headquarters. There are also plenty of technology companies which were founded in Germany such as SAP which specialises in software development. These are among the top employers nationally of data science graduates. 

Another prominent industry in Germany for data scientists is automotive engineering. From manufacturers of large commercial vehicles like Daimler Trucks, to luxury cars like BMW and Mercedes Benz: companies in the automotive industry are major employers.  

With the rise in hybrid and electric vehicles, data scientists are becoming increasingly involved with product development as well as the business management side of the company. 

Another industry which uses data scientists, particularly when it comes to business management, is manufacturing and retail. Companies like Bosch, which produce a variety of electrical products, and Zalando, an online clothing retailer, are major employers of data science graduates who want to apply their knowledge to the world of business. 

Energy production is also a major industry in Germany which hires data scientists. Siemens is a major German employer and company which specialises in energy production, rail transport and health technology.

Canada is an excellent country to pursue a career in data science not only for its job opportunities but also its immigration policies which makes it a great choice for international students wanting to work for major companies. 

There are three Canadian universities in our data science ranking this year, all within the global top 50. University of Toronto ranks 10th overall; University of British Columbia ranks 23rd and McGill University ranks 30th. 

One major industry in Canada which employs data scientists in the technology industry. The technology industry in Canada is large and varied. There are international companies such as NVIDIA and Amazon as well as companies founded in Canada such as Element AI and Hootsuite, a marketing automation platform, which are major employers. 

Finance is another sector which data science graduates may look to for employment opportunities. Banks such as TD Bank, a commercial banking group from Toronto, and the Royal Bank of Canada, a multinational banking corporation offering a wide variety of financial services, both store a wealth of information about their customers’ personal and business finances and are top employers. 

The retail sector is another top employer within Canada with Canadian platforms such as Shopify dealing with both retailers’ and customers’ data. The exchange of information during a sale often includes sensitive data such as contact details, shipping addresses and banking details, therefore the work of data scientists is vital to protect the privacy of the customer and ensure a positive shopping experience.

Singapore is a hub of finance and technology companies meaning that there are excellent employment prospects for anyone hoping to break into the world of data science or gain experience in a similar role such as a machine learning engineer, business intelligence analyst, data analyst or data engineer. 

There are two universities based in Singapore on this year’s data science subject ranking. Nanyang Technological University scored the highest of the two, fifth overall, followed by National University of Singapore in seventh. 

There are many technology companies based in Singapore which are major employers for people who hope to work in data science. These range from major international companies like Google, Accenture and SAP, all specialising in software, or Singaporean companies and other companies popular in many Eastern countries such as Tencent which deals with multimedia products and is especially well known in the videogame industry. 

The finance sector also commonly employs data scientists to collect, store and protect data in order to protect customers and improve their services. Banks like DBS Singapore and companies offering financial services like Airwallex are both major employers. 

Finally, Singapore also has a thriving retail industry which is another major source of job opportunities. Some of the major data scientist employers within the retail sector vary greatly.  

Shopee is an e-commerce platform, Infineon Technologies is an international company which specialises in semiconductors and other electrical products, and Grab offers a variety of services from food delivery to taxis and insurance. The range of employers within the retail space means that this is an exciting field to work in. 

Finally, the UK is well known for its business and technology industry globally and is a great place for students to explore if they would like to begin a career in data science. The range of roles and business opportunities available in the UK mean that it is a country worth considering for any international student. 

The top three universities for data science in our rankings this year are University of Oxford, which ranks 3rd overall, Imperial College London, which ranks 12th, and UCL, which ranks joint 21st. 

The finance sector is a key employer of data science graduates in the UK with a wealth of companies offering financial services. Monzo, Revolut and Experian DataLabs are some of the top companies in the industry which advertise jobs for data scientists. 

Another industry which is very popular in the UK is consultancy. Large firms such as KPMG, which offers tax and financial consultancy to corporate clients, and Quematics, which offers data insights to companies and consulting on digital services, are also both top employers. 

Technology is another thriving industry in the UK which employs many data scientists. Top employers for this role within the technology industry include ThoughtWorks and Accenture, both international companies with offices in London. 

Finally, the government and government organisations, such as the NHS, are also major employers of data scientists. The collecting and storing of data are key to the effectiveness of their daily operations and may be a good place to look for anyone searching for a data science role.