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This article delves into the landscape of statistical education in Ethiopia, focusing on challenges and emerging opportunities for statisticians and practitioners. It explores the limited capacity, theoretical orientation, and potential growth in educational programs at various levels. Recommendations include curriculum enhancements, practical problem-solving emphasis, and collaboration initiatives for a robust statistical education ecosystem.
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Statistical Education in EthiopiaforstatisticiansandpractitionersLuc DuchateauGhent University
Statistics in the worldtoday • For Today’s Graduate, Just One Word: Statistics. STEVE LOHR, NY times August 5, 2009 • I keep saying the sexy job in the next ten years will be statisticians Hal Varian, Google’s chief economist • Do we all have tobecome sexy, or maybeusethis hype to go back to the basics?
Statistics is a ‘young’ science CharlesPeirce (1876) Semiotics Statistics origins UK-US Sir Ronald Fischer (1935) Genetics
Biostatistics in Belgium is recent (1987) Biostatistics APPLICATION THEORY
Statistical expertise in Ethiopia Statistical expertise Consulting Research Teaching
Challenges Statistical expertise • Limited capacity (dueto braindrain) • Orientedtowardstheory, lesstoapplication
Emergingopportunities • Extension of basic educationalcapacity • A large number of BSc programs in statistics • A vast potential of junior statisticianswith sound theoretical background
Emergingopportunities • Extension of educationalcapacity • Establishment of MSc programs in Statistics (Hawassa, Addis Ababa, Jimma, Gondar) • Potential of senior statisticianswithappliedstatistical background Cross cuttinginitiative in statistics Practical courses Centre of excellence Joint Ethio-Flemish MSc
Emergingopportunities • Extension of educationalcapacity • Establishment of MSc programs in Statistics • Establishment of PhD schools in Statistics • Joint PhDs • Based on former PhD scholars Chemistry
Whereto go fromhere • Keep sound theoretical background, bothforstatisticians as well as forpractitioners • Extend the curriculum with courses in whichtheory is applied, even includeit in theoretical courses • Teacha restrictednumber of courses, but ensurestudents have goodinsight
Whereto go fromhere • Addstatistical software applicationstoall courses (R). SOLVE PRACTICAL PROBLEMS! • Statistician: look for a practitioner at yourinstitute Practitioner: look for a statistician at yourinstitute • Research: tackle practical problemsbydeveloping new methodology
Tools • Joint course developmentandstandardisation • Statistical inference • Linearmodels • Generalisedlinearmodels • Nonparametrics • Survival analysis • Computationalstatistics • Bayesianstatistics • Experimental design • Infectiousdiseasemodeling
Tools • Website (tutor and student) • Course notes • Data examples • Virtual experimentation • Books • Center of excellence • Sharingcoursenotes, teaching, experiences • Joint Msc program in statistics North-South • Joint PhD schools: appliedstatisticsPhDs • Lecturesbyvideoconferencing