Today, together with the Government Statistical Service (GSS), we have published The Future Statistician, a joint vision setting out how the statistical profession can continue to serve the public good over the next decade.
The report is grounded in the Code of Practice for Statistics and reflects extensive engagement across government and the wider professional community. It sets out a clear, shared ambition for what statisticians will need to deliver in the years ahead and marks an important milestone for the profession.
The vision
We envision the future statistician as a trusted, tech-enabled leader of evidence — combining rigorous statistical foundations with strengths in AI, communication and data stewardship to deliver ethical, timely analysis for better public decisions. The report pairs enduring professional principles with new skills and responsibilities needed for the decade ahead.
The report also identifies five priority areas for action:
Equip Statisticians for Technological Change: Strengthen training, modern data infrastructure and AI leadership, working closely with digital and data professions.
Clarify Professional Identity and Skills: Update role definitions and competency frameworks to reflect new skills and specialisms within multi-disciplinary teams.
Support Career Progression and Learning: Create structured CPD across all career stages, fostering talent retention, cross-sector learning, and consistency in skills and expertise.
Integrate Statisticians: Embed statistical expertise across government, including in early in decision-making; promote collaboration with key departments; and share best practice for evidence-based policymaking.
Empower Statisticians as Arbiters of Truth: Build confidence in challenging misinformation and communicating transparently to maintain public trust.
From vision to action
The report marks the start of a longer programme of joint work between the RSS and the GSS.
Planned next steps include developing training and CPD aligned to future skills needs, reviewing competency frameworks, and sharing good practice across the profession. Progress will be reported jointly on an annual basis
The RSS will continue to work closely with colleagues across government and beyond to ensure that its professional training, accreditation and standards support statisticians at all career stages as the profession evolves.
You can read the full report here.
You can read the consultation summary here.