Universitas Indonesia (UI) Statistics Corner was inaugurated and started its operational activities this week. UI Vice Rector for Academic and Student Affairs, Prof. Dr. rer. Nat. Abdul Haris, inaugurated it on October 10th 2023 in the Prof. Dr. Ir. Soemantri Brodjonegoro Hall, FMIPA UI, Depok, witnessed by the Deputy for Distribution Statistics and Services at the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), Dr. Pudji Ismartini, M.App.Stat.
The Statistics Corner provides data and helps UI academics interpret the data correctly. It is hoped that it can play a role in forming new skills for students, namely those related to data, technology, and human literacy.
he existence of the Statistics Corner at FMIPA UI is an implementation of the cooperation agreement between FMIPA UI and BPS, which was signed by the Dean of FMIPA UI Prof. Dede Djuhana, Ph.D. and Head of BPS West Java Province Marsudijono, M.M., on November 2nd 2022. This collaboration aims to encourage increased statistical literacy for the academic community and for people who use statistical data, through the services provided, namely promotion of statistics, statistical consultation, statistical education, and virtual reading space.
Prof. Dr.rer.nat. Abdul Haris expressed his congratulations on the inauguration of the FMIPA UI Statistics Corner. “We hope that this Statistics Corner can be utilized optimally by UI academics and statistics users, not only FMIPA UI but also other faculties at UI. Data is something that is very important in how we understand a pattern, we formulate a formula whose basis is data,” said Prof Haris.
Prof. Haris hopes that the presence of this statistics corner will also encourage collaboration and other research from FMIPA UI with stakeholders from within and outside the country. “With the new policy from the Education Fund Management Institute (LPDP) where students who want to study abroad must go through a double degree program, this is a good opportunity for FMIPA UI to open international classes, especially for Mathematics and Actuarial Study Programs (Prodi) which already have prospects, namely collaboration with foreign universities,” said Prof. Haris.
Prof. Dede welcomed the presence of the Statistics Corner at FMIPA UI. It is hoped that it can help academics and the public obtain various statistical services, such as statistical consultations, and accessing statistical data sourced or provided by BPS. “Especially for the community members, both students and lecturers, I think the use of statistical data is also very necessary in supporting the activities in realization of the Three Principles of Higher Education,” said Prof. Dede.
On the same occasion, a ceremony was held to inaugurate 32 FMIPA UI statistical agents who are students of the Statistics Study Program. They apply through an open recruitment process. The statistical agents will be tasked with managing the statistics corner, supervising, as well as assisting UI academics and the visiting public to obtain the required data professionally and with integrity.
Apart from the inauguration, a public lecture was also held that day with the theme “Statistics Corner: Optimization of the National Statistical System as an Important Pillar of National Competitiveness in the Era of Big Data and Artificial Intelligence” by Dr. Pudji Ismartini, M.App.Stat. A statistic can be said to be official statistics or official state statistics if it fulfills several aspects, including meeting the UN Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics, using methodology and business processes with standards that apply not only nationally but also internationally and is produced through the National Statistics System and verified by the statistical state office. “Examples of official statistics include statistics on economic growth, inflation, unemployment rates, the Human Development Index, poverty and inequality as well as the prevalence of stunting,” said Dr. Pudji.
Dr. Pudji Ismartini, M.App.Stat. conveyed that UI was the first campus in Depok to have a Statistics Corner. Similar facilities will be provided at a number of other universities in Depok. “With the presence of the Statistics Corner at UI, it is hoped that it will become a means of improving public services which will be useful for lecturers and students, to access statistical data and information more easily,” he said.
“This activity is a form of BPS’ concern in disseminating the variety and benefits of statistical products produced by BPS in the higher education environment. “Through the presence of the Statistics Corner, it is hoped that literacy and use of statistics in the higher education environment will increase,” said Dr. Pudji in front of 200 FMIPA UI students when he gave a public lecture on the same day.
