Toronto – Thomson Reuters and the University of Waterloo are joining forces to fuel breakthroughs in data science and develop the next generation of global entrepreneurial leaders. The wide-ranging collaboration is valued at over CAD $20 million over the next five years and will include:

• The establishment of the Thomson Reuters-funded Research Chair in Data Cleaning from Theory to Practice. The chair is initially held by Professor Ihab F. Ilyas from the Cheriton School of Computer Science at the University of Waterloo, whose research is investigating new methods for storing, cleaning, and curating data. In this role, Professor Ilyas will continue focusing on integrating and curating data in an effort to overcome the problem of data silos, and help businesses make better use of their data.
• Thomson Reuters will provide students and researchers at the Faculty of Mathematics and the School of Accounting and Finance at Waterloo with access to Thomson Reuters Eikon, the powerful and intuitive next-generation solution for consuming real-time and historical data, enabling financial markets transactions and connecting with the financial markets community. Enhancing the education and access of more than 670  students,  Eikon provides students with the opportunity to apply financial theory to practice.
• Joint collaboration on the Problem Lab, an innovative new program run by Larry Smith, author and adjunct associate professor with the Department of Economics and the Conrad Centre at Waterloo. The Problem Lab helps students find and understand important problems—the critical, but often overlooked, first step of entrepreneurial innovation.
• Thomson Reuters Labs™ - Waterloo Region, will create four positions for undergraduate and graduate level Waterloo students (three co-op: UX design, data science, and startup engagement, and one PhD internship: data science). In addition, it will create a position for a full-time position for a master’s or PhD graduate.
• Further Thomson Reuters-University of Waterloo collaborations are in research of e-discovery, on three capstone projects for MBET and MDEI Masters programs, and Thomson Reuters sponsorship of the Waterloo Innovation Summit.

“We are proud to further our commitment to fostering Canadian innovation,” said Jim Smith, president and chief executive officer of Thomson Reuters. “Together with the University of Waterloo, we can empower the next generation of technology leaders with the tools and content they need to solve big data challenges with real-world applications." 

“Thomson Reuters and the University of Waterloo are teaming up to support Canada’s global competitiveness as a leader in the knowledge-and-technology economy,” said Feridun Hamdullahpur, president and vice-chancellor of Waterloo. “Our organizations are united in our commitment to producing talent and technology to help realize the best possibilities of the Information Age.”

Thomson Reuters

Thomson Reuters is the world’s leading source of news and information for professional markets. Our customers rely on us to deliver the intelligence, technology and expertise they need to find trusted answers. The business has operated in more than 100 countries for more than 100 years. Thomson Reuters shares are listed on the Toronto and New York Stock Exchanges. For more information, visit www.thomsonreuters.com.

University of Waterloo

University of Waterloo is Canada’s top innovation university. With more than 36,000 students we are home to the world's largest co-operative education system of its kind. Our unmatched entrepreneurial culture, combined with an intensive focus on research, powers one of the top innovation hubs in the world. Find out more at uwaterloo.ca.