Datum Academy Blog

ESTIA, Datum Academy, and Oracle University today announced new training programs combining European-accredited academic content (ECTS) with industry-recognized training and certification pathways to help universities, students, faculty, and organizations develop practical skills in Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, and Cloud computing. 

The initiative will be presented on April 14, 2026, at the Oracle R&D Center in Casablanca (Morocco), with both in-person and online participation. 

Higher education stakeholders and employers alike are seeking training programs that are academically rigorous, practical, and directly aligned with the needs of the job market. This collaboration addresses this challenge by offering: 

1) eBIHAR: a European-accredited online program for initial training

eBIHAR is an online (distance learning) program built on the framework of ESTIA’s BIHAR Master of Science and delivered via Datum Academy’s MOOC model. It is structured around four skill blocks corresponding to four major AI job categories: 

For each of these skill sets, Oracle University provides a corresponding professional course, and Oracle certification can be transferred to the eBIHAR program for validation, thereby strengthening the link between academic success and industry-recognized credentials. 

The eBIHAR-certified master’s program was launched in 2022 in the African market and has been a resounding success: 32 master’s students in 2023, 63 in 2024, 115 in 2025, and 152 this year (primarily from Madagascar, Côte d’Ivoire, and Cameroon). ESTIA and DATUM ACADEMY have signed 16 international university agreements across five continents to promote rapid development at the master’s, bachelor’s, and “Companions” levels.

The “Compagnons” are modular continuing education “packages” designed to rapidly develop targeted skills—ideal for professionals, educators, and organizations seeking structured skill development and career transition. 

Four “Expert” Companions align directly with the four eBIHAR/BIHAR competency blocks and incorporate a designated Oracle University course, enabling dual certification (academic and professional) and progression by role. The project also notes that the eBIHAR Master’s degree can be obtained by completing all four “Expert” Companions. 

 “Assistant” Companions for practical introduction (through examples), generally FREE, are offered to ensure maximum dissemination of basic skills in applied Artificial Intelligence. 

To ensure that the skills acquired translate into real-world capabilities, the BIHAR tracks and Companions incorporate a practice-based pedagogy through projects and POCs (Proof of Concept) developed within the BIHAR ecosystem and its innovation approach within the Data Lab. This “learning by doing” model also supports the continuous evolution of the programs, particularly the planned learning on agent-based AI and vector databases, as outlined in the program’s 2026 roadmap. 

The collaboration includes the planned launch of a “Generative AI” assistant Companion, aimed at expanding access to AI skills development through free training for 10,000 Moroccan high school graduates per year and 1,000 secondary school teachers, with paid certifications available. A Moroccan academic partner is expected to be announced at the Casablanca event. 

Valérie Hayotte (EMEA Senior Director, Oracle Skills Development Initiative):

 “ “Building on our longstanding collaboration with ESTIA and the BIHAR ecosystem, we are proud to contribute to the development of new learning approaches that offer targeted skill modules aligned with market needs. Learners will benefit from academic recognition, complemented by Oracle professional certifications, providing them with a solid foundation for a successful career in IT.” 

Yousra El Hatib (Director of Strategy, Oracle Morocco R&D Center):

 “At the Oracle Morocco R&D Center, we are proud to support high-value-added initiatives that contribute to talent development in Morocco, in close collaboration with academic partners and the local ecosystem. By leveraging the expertise of our teams, the Casablanca R&D Center also helps drive the digital transformation of organizations across the EMEA region.”

Patxi Elissalde (Director, ESTIA):

 “This Bihar Master’s program with Oracle is a concrete realization of the partnership signed in October 2023 at ESTIA, which has already led to initial digital health innovation projects with the Nice University Hospital; it is part of ESTIA’s dual focus on digital education and its development strategy in Africa centered on AI, digital agriculture, renewable energy, and the circular economy. 

Prof. Serge Miranda (Founder, MBDS & BIHAR; President, Datum Academy):

 “ Our ambition is to make Morocco a bridgehead for the development of AI skills in North Africa and especially in the Mediterranean, with the support of leading Moroccan and international industrial partners, such as Oracle. Since AI will impact ALL sectors of economic activity, we have implemented a DIGITAL DEMOPEDIA approach with FREE companion courses of high academic and professional quality. We have adopted a bottom-up strategy to create an INSTITUTE OF APPLIED AI that could become a Mediterranean beacon for digital e-learning skills within the framework of a future “multi-university” academic model, where degrees adapt to students and come to them.”

ESTIA is a multidisciplinary engineering school based in Biarritz (France) that offers Master of Science degrees, including the BIHAR Master’s program launched in 2020. ESTIA is a member of the CGE (Conférence des Grandes Écoles)

As part of its African initiative, ESTIA partnered with DATUM ACADEMY to establish two digital satellite campuses in Africa in 2022—in Côte d’Ivoire and Madagascar—which will serve over 150 eBIHAR Master’s students by 2026. 

In October 2026, the BIHAR Master’s program will launch in a distance learning format thanks to an academic partnership with AFFLOKAT/MIRA; the eBIHAR bachelor’s program will also launch in October 2026 in a hybrid format, notably at ESATIC in Côte d’Ivoire with the support of Campus France and the Franco-Ivorian HUB, as well as at IT UNIVERSITY in Madagascar with several dozen enrolled students 

Enrollment for the BIHAR Master’s program for studies in France at ESTIA is available on the ESTIA website: www.estia.fr

Datum Academy is an EdTech spin-off of ESTIA that delivers certified online courses (MOOCs), including the eBIHAR Master’s program launched in 2022 with support from Campus France and the ANR for MOOC development. The eBIHAR track awards the same number of ECTS credits as ESTIA’s in-person BIHAR Master’s program. The Bihar Master’s program and its eBIHAR track were successfully renewed by the Conférence des Grandes Ecoles in 2025.

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DATUM ACADEMY’s initiative in Africa centers on establishing a network of click-and-mortar Applied AI Institutes (BIHAR Institutes) around

As part of the 2024 feasibility study for the BIHAR Institute in Madagascar and a CIFRE thesis, Datum Academy has developed an AI assistant (AI agent); that is, a digital tutor named “IAgora” for every eBIHAR distance learner in 2026. 

Registration for eBIHAR degrees and the COMPAGNONS du NUMERIQUE program is available on the DATUM ACADEMY website:  www.datumacademy.com

Oracle University offers professional training, certifications, and digital adoption solutions to help individuals and organizations develop skills in AI, OCI, Oracle AI Database, multicloud, Oracle Fusion Cloud applications, and industry-specific solutions. 

The Oracle Morocco R&D Center is a research and development center located in Casablanca. It is part of Oracle’s global network of innovation centers. The center focuses on designing advanced technology solutions such as cloud, data, and artificial intelligence. It brings together a multicultural team composed of local and international talent. Engineers work on strategic global projects in collaboration with other Oracle centers. The center plays a key role in developing innovative products and services for Oracle customers, such as the database, Oracle Fusion, Java, and more. It also contributes to Morocco’s technology ecosystem by collaborating with universities. The center fosters an inclusive work environment focused on continuous learning and innovation. Through its expertise, the Oracle Morocco R&D Center supports digital transformation across the EMEA region.

Oracle offers integrated application suites, as well as a self-managed, secure infrastructure in Oracle Cloud. To learn more about Oracle (NYSE: ORCL), visitwww.oracle.com/fr