Making statistics real: Working with Statistics New Zealand

Abstract

At University of Canterbury (UC) the statistics group have developed a statistics teaching program that has a high level of involvement of the official statistics agency, Statistics New Zealand. Statistics NZ involvement in the teaching programme includes participating in the teaching of courses, providing statistics examples for student assignments, industry placement of student and student financial support. Their involvement is more in-depth than these tangible contributions. By having Statistics NZ staff in our department, and joint research projects between the department and the statistics group at UC, students come in contact with "statistics in action". The students have regular interaction with practicing statisticians and have the opportunity to formally, or informally, discuss trends and developments in statistical methods.