RSSeNEWS to be determined...

Pictured: Gerald Goodall with Yuan Wei of Renmin University China and Christine Sergi of the Australian Bureau of Statistics

The Society’s director of education and professional affairs, Gerald Goodall, recently visited Japan. As a result of contacts originally made at the launch of the RSS Centre for Statistical Education last November, he was invited to address a conference of the Japan Statistical Society and also to give a seminar at Rikkyo University in Tokyo. Japanese hospitality was, of course, impeccable.

There is much interest in Japan in professional development, both of the discipline of statistics and of statisticians. Gerald was therefore asked to talk about the Society's services in these areas, particularly in respect of professional examinations, professional status and the accreditation of university courses. He also held a lengthy meeting with senior members of the Japan Statistical Society – and found himself asked to give a short talk at the conference dinner.

The events in Japan were truly international. As well as the UK presence, Yuan Wei, senior vice president of Renmin University in China, gave two talks on professional examinations and the general advance of statistical higher education in China. Clearly there is a lot of development in statistical education there at present, right up to the highest research levels, driven by continuing growth in the economy. In addition, Christine Sergi from the Australian Bureau of Statistics was part of the group in Japan. She is assistant director of ABS education services and was also going to visit other countries in the area. Among many other interests, she was well versed in the RSSCSE Census@School project.

Work will now proceed on possible co-operations between ourselves and the Japan Statistical Society.

To read more about the Japan Statistical Society visit their website.