Teaching statistics in developing nations
*Mark Griffin, Australian Development Agency for Statistics & Information Systems 

Keywords: teaching, developing nations, Pacific Islands

Statistics is a core discipline required by colleagues in developing nations as they respond to the Millennium Development Goals and work with financial donors. The development of statistical expertise within these regions is best done through an international collaboration between local in-country staff who can guide the development process, and international experts who can provide training and support in this technical discipline.

In November 2010 the Executive Board of the American Statistical Association granted approval for the establishment on a new ASA Outreach Group entitled the Friends of Australasia. This Group provides an international forum for interaction between statisticians in America, Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands. A primary goal of this group is to establish an international conference series entitled the International Conference for Health Statistics in the Pacific Islands. This Conference provides much-needed training in the field of statistics to colleagues in the Pacific Islands, through two parallel streams - an Introductory Stream (for local health workers wishing to develop a foundational knowledge of statistics to support them in their work) and an Advanced Stream (for local statisticians wishing to expand their statistical knowledge and expertise beyond what they would typically see locally within the Pacific Islands). The very first International Conference for Health Statistics in the Pacific Islands was held in Fiji on the 6th to the 10th of July 2011.

Dr. Griffin will share his perspective on the role of developing statistical expertise in developing nations, and the lessons learnt from organising the ICHSPI conference in Fiji. Mark was the Conference Chair of the Fiji ICHSPI conference, is the Founding Chair of the Friends of Australasia, and is the Chair of the New Projects Committee for the ASA Group Statistics Without Borders. He looks forward to presenting the lessons learnt from Fiji, and welcomes an open discussion afterwards as he works with and learns from the insights and experience of his presentation's audience. This discussion will then help guide the future direction of the ICHSPI conference and the Friends of Australasia.