THE UNIVERSITY of the Philippines will be the first school in the country to offer a master’s degree program on artificial  intelligence.

The university’s National Engineering Center Analytics and Data Science Certifications said the UP Board of Regents approved the proposed curriculum.

“With the increase in the rate of data production and rising capability to collect the same, the need for expertise to analyze large sizes of data sets become pressing in the future,” UP NEC said on Facebook.

“In order to pursue the great aims of UP as the national university, we must not just aim for training programs for professionals in supplying the gaps in need towards this direction but also address the sustainability of the supply of experts and mentors,” it added.

UP NEC said it will post more information about the program in the coming weeks.

Established in January 1978, NEC has served as the UP College of Engineering’s research and extension arm.

It has been at the forefront of engineering research and development with its specialized research centers.