Assessing the Alignment of University Academic Programs with the Requirements of Saudi Arabia's Data and Business Analytics Job Market

Businesses use data to enhance operational performance, creating demand for professionally trained data/business analytics graduates. Universities offer a variety of academic programs in response to the increasing labor market demands. Yet, research on how well educational offerings adapt to market demand is scant. This paper aims to evaluate how well university curricula match Saudi Arabia's marketplace needs. A content analysis was conducted to compare universities' analytics programs with a sample of internet job postings over a 12-month period. The results were evaluated quantitatively to assess the alignment between academia and industry. This information is of value to industry, universities, and learners.