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The West Medal for Official Statistics

The West Medal recognises an individual who has made outstanding contributions to official statistics. 

The West Medal was established in memory of the chartered statistician John Howard West. It is awarded every three years for outstanding contributions to the development or communication of official statistics. 

The West Medal is awarded triennially.   

Nominations for 2027 opened on June and will close on 31 October 2026. 

  • Find out about the criteria for the award and how to make a nomination.

    Eligibility criteria for nominations for the West Medal: 

    • Fellow of the Society for at least two consecutive years on 1 January in the year of nomination  

    Contributions may be made within government, public bodies, academia, international organisations, or related settings, provided they are directly concerned with official statistics.  

    Examples of contributions expected to be highlighted include, but are not limited to, development of methodology and communication and public understanding of official statistics.   

    Nominations must provide sufficient detail for the committee to understand the merit and importance of the work. 

    There is no requirement that contributions be published in RSS journals. 

    Nomination form can be found here. 

    Please send nominations to honours@rss.org.uk by 31 October 2026