Long Term Strategy Group 2009

The Long Term Strategy Group was first convened in 2009 to review the long term strategic objectives of the Society. Council approved the groups recommended 20 strategic targets, outlined below. The group will reconvene every three years and is due to review in 2012.

To foster and encourage the growth, development and application of statistical science in all areas of activity which can benefit from it.

1. Create a fellowship that is representative of the wide range of people working with data.

2. Be an internationally recognised focus for promoting and facilitating the best research in statistical science.

3. Facilitate the application of statistics to areas of human endeavour, in particular where statistics are not being used or are used ineffectively but may be of benefit.

4. Bring people together via meetings, conferences and web technology to share their knowledge and experience.

To establish, uphold and advance high standards of statistical competence

5. Establish and promote the core competencies that maintain the standards required for a professional statistician and maintain a professional development policy based on best practice.

6. Actively debate the issues around regulating, through legislation, the profession of statistics.

7. Promote provision within the UK of professional training for people who use statistics and data

8. Be the leading provider of professional statistical qualifications in the UK.

9. Influence educational providers to train sufficient numbers of statisticians to meet the needs of employers.

10. Publish learned journals on statistical science and its application that are recognised as being of the highest quality.

To foster the production and publication of statistics on aspects of society

11. Actively promote the publication and dissemination of statistics on aspects of society.

12. Actively lobby producers and publishers of statistics to ensure they are of high quality and meet the wider needs of society.

13. Ensure statistics and data that underpin everyday life are accessible and understandable to the public.

To serve the public interest by acting in an advisory, consultative or representative capacity in matters relating to the science of statistics and its application

14. Provide a valued service for decision makers on the science of statistics and its application.

15. Actively seek out topics where statistics and data underpin the decision making process, encourage public debate on those issues and contribute to relevant public consultations.

16. Actively promote the use of evidence based decision making and make statistical data available.

To promote the public understanding of statistics and the competent use and interpretation of statistics.

17. Ensure statistics and use of data is competently taught in all schools, colleges and higher education.

18. Promote statistics and the appropriate use of data as a core competency of life long learning.

19. Use meetings, conferences, publications and web technology to promote the public understanding and of statistics and how data is used.

20. Develop and promote best practice when statistics and data are being communicated to the public.

Business Plan Cycle

The themes, including sections and local groups are asked to put forward ideas for consideration in the Society's business plan. The suggested activities are considered by the Executive Committee and Council during the year, culminating in approval of the final business plan at December's Council meeting. The business plan is inserted into each February edition of RSS News.