Teaching · June 2026 · Vol. 1 No. 2

The International Statistical Literacy Project

Putting the focus on statistical literacy

Authors

Reija Helenius

ISLP Director, Statistics Finland

Elisa Falck

ISLP Project Coordinator

In brief

Statistical literacy is the ability to understand, interpret and critically evaluate data in everyday life, and it now has to contend with information generated by AI systems. The ISLP, a non-profit project operating within the ISI and the IASE, has spent three decades building a worldwide network to promote it. This article traces the project's history from the 1994 World Numeracy Programme to a network of 184 country coordinators in 97 countries, and sets out its activities, its funding difficulties and its plans.

“Statistical literacy empowers individuals to make informed decisions in their daily lives, from personal choices to societal issues.”

What the article covers

  • The International Poster Competition: 22,878 participants from 36 countries in 2024–2025, across four age categories.
  • The Best Cooperative Award and the International Day of Statistical Literacy, next held on 17 November 2026.
  • Challenges: language barriers, unequal access to statistical education, and the absence of sustained core funding.
  • How to get involved, whether or not your country already has a coordinator.

Read the article

Pages 19–22 of Vol. 1 No. 2, June 2026. Free to read, no registration.

Open at page 19

How to cite

Reija Helenius and Elisa Falck. “The International Statistical Literacy Project.” vISIon: The ISI Magazine Vol. 1 No. 2, June 2026, pp. 19–22.