Thursday, October 8, 2026, at Leiden University

Professionals across a wide variety of sectors are increasingly expected to make decisions based on data, evaluate interventions, and critically interpret research findings. As a result, there is a growing demand for methods and statistics education that is directly relevant to professional practice. Such education should equip practitioners with the knowledge and (hand-on) skills needed to address real-world challenges, communicate evidence effectively, and make informed decisions in their daily work. But what kind of statistical knowledge and skills do professionals from different societal sectors actually need? And how can statistics be taught in ways that are meaningful, accessible, and applicable to a diverse group of professionals working outside academia.

In this interactive meeting, we will explore what are the needs in (post-graduate) statistics education, discuss educational approaches and differences with teaching to students in academic settings, share practical experiences, and reflect upon the challenges of designing and delivering courses that meet the needs of very diverse professional audiences.

The preliminary program is as follows:

• 13:30 – 14:00: welcome and coffee.
• 14:00 – 14:45: presentation by Caroline van Baal from UMC Utrecht/Radboudumc: Lifelong learning in statistics: who, when, what?
• 14:45 -15:15: coffee break
• 15:00 – 16:00: sharing ideas and experiences: an interactive session guided by Stephanie van den Berg & Saskia Burgers
• 16:00-16:15: closing session
• 16:15 – 17:15: drinks

We believe this afternoon is a good opportunity to meet with colleagues and get new inspiration, so save the date: Thursday, October 8, in Leiden!

More details about the program, including the possibility to register for the meeting, follow soon in the Statistics Education section on the website of the VVSOR.