WNYC's blog New Tech City states, "As data sets grow larger and more complex in the digital age, Columbia University is forming an institute to train the next generation of technologists — a group you might call "big data crunchers." Starting in fall 2013, the Institute for Data Sciences and Engineering will offer a four-course certification program where professionals with quantitative backgrounds can study topics like algorithms in data, machine learning and data visualization."

Written in NY Daily News, "Universities across the city are spending millions to give themselves digital makeovers into hotbeds of high-tech innovation and creativity. Cornell University, New York University, Columbia University and others are all building new academic programs targeted at the city’s burgeoning tech scene."