In the internal focus of the Institute of Applied Statistics on “Statistical Literacy”, members of the department oppose to statistical illiteracy. In our information age, persons suffering from such a shortage cannot fully participate in public life. This is reflected, for example, in being unable to follow arguments backed by statistics or (in times of “fake news” and “alternative facts”) to verify the conclusions drawn. The digitalization (keyword “big data”) leads to the necessity of a solid basic understanding in this respect, even at higher management levels in business and politics. By promoting objective and fact-based information dissemination, this institute’s internal focus contributes to the JKU priorities Digital Transformation and Sustainable Development: Responsible Technologies & Management.

Members of the institute are involved in initiatives such as “FIT - Women in Technology”, “JKU goes school”, the “KinderUni” and the “Young Scientists. On its homepage, the institute operates the rubric “nonsense in the media”. Also, participations of the institute members in relevant sessions at scientific conferences are further contributions to the scientific discourse in this field.