Affiliations: Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University
of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand | General Manager, Statistics New Zealand, Adjunct
Professor of Official Statistics, Victoria University of Wellington,
Wellington, New Zealand
Note: [] Corresponding author: J.A. Harraway, President International
Association for Statistical Education (IASE), Department of Mathematics and
Statistics, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. Tel.: +64 3 4797782;
Fax: +64 3 4798427; E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: Statistics New Zealand is actively involved in raising the
statistical capability of key groups of users. Current priority groups are
government, the media and Maori (indigenous New Zealand) and, in the recent
past, schools and small businesses. Initiatives designed to support statistical
literacy development include synthetic unit record files (SURFs),
confidentialized unit record files (CURFs), postgraduate student work
placements, funding for the CensusAtSchool project, a National Certificate of
Official Statistics for public sector staff, and an honours/masters paper in
official statistics. Almost all the educational initiatives implemented so far
have been developed collaboratively with educational institutions through a
network of academics in official statistics (NAOS) established in 2006. Members
have been involved in the design, implementation, delivery and assessment of
courses for qualification as well as presenting short (one- or two-day) courses
for government employees on topics such as ethics and legislation, interpreting
opinion polls and demography. A particular focus of this paper is the
postgraduate course in Official Statistics introduced in 2011. This used
advanced video-conferencing with teaching staff and students at five New
Zealand universities. The course has been beneficial for Statistics New
Zealand, universities and students. Feedback from students is also reported.
Keywords: Partnerships with academics, raising users' capability, statistical literacy
