International Day Of Women in Statistics and Data Science

As artificial intelligence and data-driven decision-making become integral to society, developing future
leaders in statistics and data science has become an international priority. Beyond teaching statistical
methods or programming skills, education must cultivate statistical thinking, inquiry, evidence-based
reasoning, and the ability to connect data with real-world decision-making throughout learners'
educational journeys.

Japan has been developing an inquiry-based learning framework that progressively connects statistical
and data science education from primary school to university. This framework encourages learners to
investigate authentic questions using data while strengthening statistical literacy through curriculum
reform, inquiry-based learning, student competitions, and university education and research. It is
supported through collaboration among educational institutions, professional societies, public
organizations, and non-profit organizations.

This session introduces four complementary perspectives on this framework. First, it presents how
long-term educational support by a non-profit organization has contributed to nurturing future
statistical talent. Second, it explores how national and international statistical competitions, including the
Statistical Graph Contest and the ISLP International Poster Competition, inspire students and foster
statistical thinking. Third, it shares innovative practices in inquiry-based data science education in
Japanese secondary schools. Finally, it discusses how statistics and data science education can prepare
hybrid talent capable of integrating disciplinary expertise with AI and emerging technologies across
secondary education, higher education, and lifelong learning.

Through these perspectives, the session aims to share Japan's inquiry-based educational framework
with the international community and to promote dialogue on how statistics and data science education
can cultivate future leaders capable of addressing increasingly complex societal challenges.