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Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra: STATISTICA enhances scientific research
Technology Category
- Analytics & Modeling - Data-as-a-Service
- Analytics & Modeling - Predictive Analytics
- Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Visualization
Applicable Industries
- Agriculture
- Education
Applicable Functions
- Product Research & Development
- Quality Assurance
Services
- System Integration
- Training
The Challenge
In agrobiological programs, new scientific results are regularly produced through field and laboratory experiments. SUA constantly publishes the findings of its data analyses in the areas of agrobiology, biotechnology, food production, and more. For this purpose, the faculty of agrobiology and food resources had primarily been using Microsoft® Excel as its analytical tool of choice, with a few exceptions, despite that Excel had become wholly inadequate for evaluation and publishing of research results. The university’s main goal was to improve the support of research and scientific activities conducted by its pedagogical and professional technical staff. Due to ever-increasing demands for improved publishing quality, SUA recognized the need to acquire more appropriate software, made possible through funding from the European Union structural funds project. SUA faculty commenced a search for more advanced tools that would enable processing and analysis of experimental data on a higher level than allowed by Excel. The software would need to fulfill dual roles as a suitable tool for academic research and as a standard learning tool in the classroom. Important factors in the software selection included (but were not limited to) an appropriately simple and user-friendly interface, integration of Slovak or Czech language, and purchase price. University representatives selected the STATISTICA software, available from StatSoft CR.
About The Customer
The Slovak University of Agriculture (SUA) in Nitra is a top-rated educational and scientific institution. Established as the public University of Agricultural and Forest Engineering in 1946, it was reorganized as an independent school in 1952 and changed to its current name in 1996. After the Ministry of Education recognized it as a university institution of higher education in 2009, the SUA in Nitra became the first Slovak university awarded the prestigious European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) label the following year. Recognizing that its future success and direction will be dependent upon how it embraces and responds to new information and communication technologies, SUA’s primary objectives include the provision of a quality education in the broad social sciences, specializing in scientific disciplines with emphasis on agricultural programs and research that will allow its graduates to make significant contributions to the extension of human knowledge and society.
The Solution
Installation of the software was carried out very easily in just one day, without outside help. The STATISTICA software was purchased within the scope of Activity 2.4 (“Increasing expertise in the preparation and evaluation of scientific experiments”) for use in educational courses focused on data modeling and problem solutions stemming from research activity analysis. Forty participants from four faculties of the SUA participated in the project. “Cooperation with StatSoft CR was professional throughout the initial business phase, consultation, and subsequent implementation,” says Ing. Ján Gažo, Ph.D., from the faculty of agrobiology and food resources. “We especially welcomed the option of initial training, because we had no previous experience with the STATISTICA statistical software. This training course was carried out on a high level, devoted to our specific requirements.” “All supplied materials were clear and well prepared by StatSoft, and there was a great effort to customize the implementation process and materials according to our needs,” adds Dr. Gažo.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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