The European Master in Official Statistics from a national point of view: the Italian contribution

Maria Pia Sorvillo (Istat-Italian National Statistical Office) Monica Pratesi (University of Pisa)

Workshop on Human Resources Management and Training 5 - 7 September 2012, Budapest

Background

Previous discussions involved•Eurostat•National statistical offices• Academy

Training European Comprehensive

High level NSIs ESS

Background

Why a European Master in Official Statistics?

• To improve official Statistics in Europe • To spread a shared vision of the ESS • To reinforce the network of European statisticians • To enhance the academic offer of Master programmes in

official statistics

The Italian contributionISTAT

(the Italian Statistical Office)

• Supported the project in its initial stage• Fostered discussion with issue papers • Established the Advanced School for

Statistics and Socio- economic Analyses

A School to boost statistical literacy in the country….

…with more than one target audience

NSIs and EMOS

A number of possible advantages:

• Facilitating innovation in data production and analysis• Increasing the European dimension • Reinforcing NSI-Academy cooperation• Making available young graduates with specific training

NSIs’ contribution: an added value

Professionals and researchersas teachers……and as trainees

• Definition of contents

Training needsFirst of all:• Statistical tools to improve data production and

analysisEstimation techniques, innovation in sampling, integration of data sources, exploitation of big databases,…

But also:• New technologies

Web for dissemination, data capturing, …

• And “soft skills”Management techniques, Interacting with users, Communicating data, …..

Open issues

How?• self-contained modules offering learning paths/different levels

Where? • centralized widespread

For whom? • NSIs’ staff Young graduates/phd EU/candidate countries/others

The Italian Initiative

Advanced School for Statistics and Socio-Economic Analyses / Istat

Italian Statistical Society

Academy

A new training in official statistics

• Modular approach / overarching framework

• Maximum value from previous experiences• Close coherence between topics of the

training and official statistics’ needs • Creating synergies between scholars and

practitioners in designing single modules

Target

• Istat researchers

• Staff of the National Statistical System

• Statisticians in various institutions

• Young graduates

• Selected cooperation projects

• …and EMOS

Conclusions

Mostly needed in NSIs: •Training for innovation and upgrading

subject to budget constraint•International perspective

staff deeply rooted in the national context

Shared initiatives and EU support can help taking over difficulties

a strong planning effort is needed

Thank you for your attention

sorvillo@istat.it

scuola@istat.it