As part of the initiative, LRW will invest in a new set of data science minor courses, as well as a new Social Justice course within the Division of Social Sciences. 

UCLA students will have the opportunity to take part in an internship programme at LRW, focused on data and analytics.

LRW employees will also be able to work with UCLA students and staff on social data science projects, workshops and roundtables.

The partnership is the first step in UCLA’s efforts to secure support for its Social Sciences Big Data Research Infrastructure, led by social sciences dean Darnell Hunt.

Hunt said: "Our students will graduate with data science skills that will make them more competitive in industry, and UCLA will be able to effectively promote the role of data analytics in solving society’s greatest challenges."

Dave Sackman, group chief executive at LRW, added: "By working closely with UCLA, we can give our employees new opportunities to share their expertise in sophisticated analytics and deep human understanding with the next generation of data scientists."