Applied Research Unit (BIARU)

The Business Informatics Applied Research Unit is a dedicated team of researchers whose goal is to disseminate our expertise in data analytics, business process management, and machine learning to a larger audience.
Website (2) Website (2)

About BIARU

The Business Informatics Applied Research Unit is a dedicated team of researchers whose goal is to disseminate our expertise in data analytics, business process management, and machine learning to a larger audience.

The job of many employees consists of entering a considerable amount of data into all kinds of information systems. This is often seen as a repetitive, not very productive task that is just an administrative, bureaucratic necessity. We find this particularly unfortunate. This data contains a wealth of information that can give your company an important competitive advantage. We see it as our task to create awareness about the possibilities and added value of data and we want to enable you to realize the potential of data within your company.

Our focus in this endeavor goes to SMEs in particular. Building on our year-long expertise in data modeling, data mining, process management, and process mining, we provide our partners with a solid scientific foundation and academic independence. We provide our partners with two services. Firstly, we supply our partners with the required knowledge and skills to improve their operations through various training programs. Secondly, through projects, we work together with you from problem to solution. Different project formulas with regard to duration and budget are available.

BIARU Trainings

All-in mastery course: From data to optimal processes and decisions

In this comprehensive course, you learn to look at your own company from different perspectives. From value propositions and business model design, towards modeling of processes, data and decisions, we come to identify and define valuable data analytics projects in your company.

All-in mastery course: Translation of strategic transformations into AI technology projects

Successful AI adoption is mainly determined by companies' capacity to make the transition from business challenges to technology. It is important that one always starts from the strategic needs and opportunities of the company and then translates this into an appropriate and concrete AI project, including a clear business case. To achieve this, the company needs support at different levels. This training program focuses on two target groups that are essential for successful AI adoption.

The first target group consists of the top managers who are responsible for the decision whether or not to take AI into account in an organization and addresses:

        • Strategy & Awareness
        • Organisation and Operating Model
        • Ethics
        • Key success factors for successful AI implementation

The second target group consists of middle managers and change agents who will be the driving force behind the AI ​​adoption and the accompanying digital transformation. A training course is provided for this target group that focuses on the following aspects:

        • AI Techniques
        • AI Portfolio management
        • Capabilities
        • Data Architecture
        • Data Processing
        • Change management
        • Business Case

This training program is developed together with INNO.com and supported by ESF (read more about our projects).

Hands-on masterclasses

In order to train people for the implementation of data projects, we offer a number of hands-on masterclasses on specific themes. During these masterclasses, we will learn a number of more technical skills that can be useful when processing your data. The exact content of the master class is coordinated in advance with your specific needs and is variable in terms of both duration and price.

Below you can find a non-exhaustive list of topics on which we provide tailor-made masterclasses. Contact us for more information, or share your specific needs for training with us.

        • Exploratory data analysis
        • Data visualization
        • Process analytics
        • Data modeling
        • Machine learning for business purposes

Besides tailor-made training, we also provide off-the-shelf training on various topics, provided through the School of Expert Education (SEE) of UHasselt.

Keynotes

We are keen to evangelize the added value of data within a company. Book us to give a lecture about the role of data and IT for companies of today and tomorrow. We are happy to share our experience to create greater awareness.

BIARU Projects

AI for Decision Makers (2019 - 2021)

Thanks to the support and financial resources from the Flemish Region and Europe, we are developing a new Training Course  “Successfully transform Strategic Transformations into AI projects”, in collaboration with INNO.COM and SEIN.

The ability of organisations to translate a business challenge to a technological solution dictates the successful adoption of AI in Flanders. One element is key: always take the business’ strategic needs and opportunities as a base to draw up a fitting and concrete AI project, while including a clear-cut business case.

This training course will focus on two target audiences who are both crucial in the successful adoption of AI. For each of these audiences, we’re developing a designated module. These modules will be complementary to each other and transfer essential knowledge and skills to make an AI transformation happen.

Data Warehouse Automation (2019 - 2020)

As the amount of data that has to be managed by companies is growing exponentially, data warehouses have become an invaluable asset. In this project, The Agile Information Factory and BIARU join forces to bring datawarehouse automation to the next level by removing manual steps from the configuration process.

Transport with PIT: Innovative processes in the transport industry (2017-2019)

This TETRA project aligns the operations of Flemish freight carriers with IT-driven market evolutions through innovation of their business processes and supporting information systems. We developed a digitalisation scale, based on business process management, which allows freight carriers to assess their readiness for e-CMR and Information-on-Demand innovation projects and execute the necessary preparatory actions.