The International Statistical Education Centre (ISEC) in India: Training Government Officers From Developing Countries in Statistical Theory and Applications

The International Statistical Education Centre was founded in 1950 in Kolkata, India under the auspices of the International Statistical Institute and the Indian Statistical Institute. Its objective was to provide statistical training at various levels to government officers from developing countries in Asia and Africa, which were facing shortages of adequately trained statisticians. A regular course on Statistical Theory and Applications, suitably designed for this purpose, has been conducted since 1950. Its curriculum is judiciously formulated to meet its objective, and teaching is conducted by the faculty of the Indian Statistical Institute and senior officials of the Indian Statistical Service. Positive feedback from participants indicates that this course has contributed to skill enhancement in statistical data analysis and has a favourable impact on career advancement.