The Chartered Institute of Statisticians of Nigeria is expected to offer accreditation of Statistics courses offered at both polytechnics and universities. These include courses offered for the National- and Higher National Diploma (HND) certificates for polytechnics, and courses offered at the Undergraduate and Master’s levels for universities. This should be done in consultation with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and National Universities Commission (NUC), respectively. However, for a course to be accredited, the Institute would need to be satisfied professionally in terms of its general breadth, depth, quality and foundation. If it is so satisfied, the Institute should then consider and also be satisfied professionally with the statistical content of the course.
Breadth and depth should be reasonably assured by an approximate equivalence of the HND and undergraduate courses with the CISON’s Graduate Certificate in Statistics. CISON should determine quality by forming a professional judgement based on examination papers, staff curriculum vitae and assessment information from any relevant internal and external reviews. The foundation should be considered adequate when there is appropriate treatment of the mathematical and statistical fundamentals. The treatment must not be shallow, but must give an adequate framework on which further work, including work beyond the HND and undergraduate degree, may be constructed.