Role of statisticians in building the UAE knowledge economy

This paper provides an overview of the use of statistics in the workplace in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the role statistics and statisticians play in the country's endeavors to transform to a KE. The paper further elucidates the gap between statistics education and the labor market needs. Information are garnered from a sample of 104 statisticians and practition- ers with related backgrounds on several issues covering the level of statistical practice in the country, training and professional development and the role statisticians play in supporting research and decision making. Evidence re- veals a growing recognition of the role of statistics in the country. Several limitations, however, were noted including increased shortages in supply of statisticians and a lack of indepth professional training in traditional and emerging statistics topics together with a lack of quality research output.