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University of Reading

Statistical success for university administrators

Tuesday, 11 January 2011

Statistics course attendees

ÔÇÿStatistics for University AdministratorsÔÇÖ course participants, with SSC course presenters ÔÇô Polly Grove (centre), James Gallagher, SSC Director (right of centre) and Sandro Leidi (front centre)

University administrators from around the UK recently attended a one day short course at the Statistical Services Centre (SSC), School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, to hear about statistical techniques applied in higher education administration.

The course aimed to give attendees a better understanding of how the Higher Education Statistical Agency (HESA) utilises statistical tools for decision making, and looked at comparisons of cohort progression data and assessment of performance against targets.

'Statistics for University Administrators', has been run by the SSC as part of its annual advertised programme of continuing professional development (CPD) courses for both statisticians and non-statisticians from within the UK and abroad. It has attracted over 155 participants since 2007, from over 60 UK universities. Part of its success derived from the lack of such CPD training elsewhere.

Originally developed by James Gallagher (SSC Director) and Sandro Leidi (Senior Statistician), 'Statistics for University Administrators' stemmed from similar training commissioned by a number of universities to enable its administrators to make better use of statistical methods in evidence-based decision making.

James Gallagher said: "We are delighted that the University of Reading, through the Statistical Services Centre, can make an important contribution to the promotion and better understanding of statistics within the UK's higher education administration sector. From talking to participants we have been able to identify further training needs, leading to a new course, Advanced Excel for Students' Records Administrators, which will form part of the SSC's 2011 short course programme. We hope this course will be equally successful." 

Please visit the Statistical Services Centre website for more information about SSC and its services.