Statistical literacy
In today's world of evidence-informed policymaking, it is critical for decision-makers to possess statistical and data literacy skills, which enable them to comprehend and utilize statistical concepts and data. As a result, public servants and other actors involved in the policymaking process need to possess these abilities.
However, research has shown that policy professionals often lack the necessary statistical and data literacy levels, creating a competence gap. To address this issue, an interdisciplinary research project (DEC, ETH-EPFL Joint Doctoral Programme in the Learning Sciences) aims to deepen our understanding of the scope of this skills gap among policymakers in different contexts and to identify sustainable strategies for enhancing their statistical and data literacy.
The research framework is based on a range of insights, including those from development policy , behavioral economics, and the learning sciences. By improving the statistical and data literacy capacity of policymakers, the project aims to promote evidence use and evidence-informed decision-making, ultimately leading to better policies that positively impact societies around the world.