Training Workshop on Quality of Statistics for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the Asia-Pacific Region, 23 to 25 September 2024,  Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Quality data are vital for enabling governments, international organizations, civil society, private sector and the general public to make informed decisions and to ensure the accountability of representative bodies. Effective planning, follow-up and review of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development requires the collection, processing, analysis and dissemination of an unprecedented amount of data and statistics at local, national, regional and global levels and by multiple stakeholders. 

Achieving and maintaining public trust in official statistics requires that those statistics are produced in an objective, transparent and professionally independent manner. The statistical quality framework and quality review processes help promoting data quality. The United Nations Statistical Commission based on these considerations and other important principles established a set of Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics in 1994. These principles were adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2014. Many countries around the world have established a national code of practice or a national quality assurance framework for official statistics (NQAF) to capture those principles and best practices, and to safeguard public trust. In 2019, the United Nations Statistical Commission (UNSC) adopted the United Nations National Quality Assurance Frameworks Manual for Official Statistics (Manual) that has been developed by the Expert Group on National Quality Assurance Frameworks.

Regional Workshop on Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Prices Statistics, 30 September to 04 October 2024, Nadi, Fiji

Consumer price indexes (CPI) measure changes over time in the general level of prices of goods and services that households acquire (use or pay for) for the purpose of consumption. In many countries, they were originally introduced to provide a measure of the changes in the living costs faced by workers, so that wage increases could be related to changing levels of prices. However, over the years, CPIs have widened their scope and now are widely used as a macroeconomic indicator of inflation, as a tool by governments and central banksfor monetary policy and for monitoring price stability, and as deflators in the national accounts. With the globalization of trade and production and the liberalization of the markets, national governments, central banks, and international organizations place great importance on the quality and accuracy of national CPIs, and their international comparability...here

e-Learning : Compiling climate change indicators: an accounting approach, 30 September to 08 November 2024

Climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time. Its impacts on well-being are far reaching, including impacts on health and the economy. Humans have contributed to climate change largely through economic activities which are intrinsically linked to climate change. Our supply and use of energy for example has led to increased emissions of greenhouse gases which have resulted in global warming. A better understanding of the relationship between the economy and climate change through the compilation of relevant indicators is key to mitigating and adapting to climate change. 

This course focused on climate change indicators that can be compiled from environmental economic accounts. After a brief overview of climate change and, relevant polices and multilateral agreements, participants learned how to compile various indicators that inform climate change. 

The focus of the course was on better understanding the relationship between climate change and economic activity. And the statistical framework that provides the concepts, definitions, and methodology for measuring this relationship is the System of Environmental Economic Accounting. Participants learned about physical supply and use tables for energy and air emissions, and indicators that can be compiled from these accounts. Other topics to be discussed include transaction accounts which can be used to derived expenditure type indicators such those on taxes on energy and pollution...here

e-Learning : Disability Statistics for Tracking Inclusive and Sustainable Development, 30 September to 08 November 2024

According to the World Health Organization , in 2021 more than 700 million people in Asia and the Pacific lived with some form of disability, which accounted for 16 per cent of the population. Persons with disabilities encounter social and economic barriers and bias in all aspects of life. Disability statistics enable tracking socioeconomic indicators related to persons with disabilities, therefore understanding better their needs to participate in society on an equal basis and identifying policy gaps to ensure disability-inclusive development. 

Within the framework of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, disability inclusion in the development process has been increasingly crucial, necessitating the need to improve disability disaggregated data to monitor disability-related Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicators. At a regional level, the Incheon Strategy to ‘Make the Right Real’ for Persons with Disabilities in Asia and the Pacific, the regional development goal to promote disability inclusion, reinforces the importance of disability-disaggregated data to measure progress against its targets and indicators. Disability data as a critical instrument to advance disability-inclusive development was reaffirmed by the adoption of the Jakarta Declaration on the Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities, 2023–2032. Underscoring the continued implementation of the Incheon Strategy, the Jakarta Declaration urges regional stakeholders to take measures to close disability data gaps and strengthen statistical capacities...here

Subregional Training on Computer Assisted Personal Interviews (CAPI) using Survey Solutions, 17 to 22 November 2024, Nadi, Fij

The transition from paper and pencil interviewing (PAPI) to computer assisted personal interviewing (CAPI) has been one of the key hallmarks of national statistical offices’ (NSO) efforts to adopt efficient and cost-effective new technologies and modernize the collection and production of official statistics. CAPI combines the advantages of face-to-face interviewing with the efficiency and accuracy of computer technology and brings several efficiencies including: (i) improving data quality, reducing the time lag between data collection and data analysis; (ii) increasing the speed of data turnaround and release; and (iii) enabling significant savings in fieldwork and data processing costs. 

Like other subregions, the Pacific Islands countries and territories have, since 2010, embraced the transition to CAPI using Survey Solutions. While there has been significant investment in the new technology as well as national level support and training from the Pacific Community (SPC) for the conduct of surveys and censuses, high staff turnover and capability gaps in the Pacific subregion necessitate continuous training to further strengthen existing capacity. Furthermore, the report of the 2023 capacity needs assessment conducted by SPC reveals a skills gap of 65% in data collection and places demand for training in collection applications (Survey Solutions) as one of the highest priorities for NSOs. This finding corroborated with the results of the 2023 Training Needs Assessment undertaken by the Statistical Institute for Asia and the Pacific (SIAP)...here

e-Learning : Solid Waste Accounting, 18 November to 06 December 2024

Decreasing and properly managing solid wastes are priorities for many countries. These priorities are also reflected in the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which call for substantially reducing waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse, as well as for proper management of all kinds of waste. Solid wastes can have a negative impact on well-being. Data on solid waste generation and management by different actors in the economy are necessary to inform policies not only for the management of waste, but also policies related to circular economy, resource use and ecosystems. This short course focuses on solid waste statistics and accounts. The solid waste accounts are based on the System for Environmental-Economic Accounting-Central Framework (SEEA-CF)...here

Webinar : Regional Training Course on the National Strategy for the Development of Statistics (NSDS) and Advanced Data Planning Tool (ADAPT) for Asia-Pacific, 03 to 05 December 2024

The Partnership in Statistics for Development in the 21st Century (PARIS21) in collaboration with the Statistical Institute for Asia and the Pacific (SIAP) developed a unique training course for NSS, NSO leaders and national planning senior managers to improve strategic planning for data and statistics development, using innovative tools and methods. The course will give a thorough introduction to the NSDS design process. In addition, this course will feature special topics on gender statistics, climate change data, children data as well as communications around the NSDS...here
 

e-Learning :Principles of Data Visualization for Official Statistics and SDG Indicators,  11 November to 27 December 2024

This course introduces data visualization as a tool to produce high-quality graphics for monitoring, reporting and publishing official statistics and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) indicators. 

This course offers participants the opportunity to explore and interpret key techniques in data visualization, both for data exploration and effective data presentation. Learners will analyze, evaluate, and apply essential principles of data visualization through dedicated case studies, addressing the challenges of visualizing complex datasets. 

The course emphasizes strategies for visualizing multi-dimensional data and introduces practical methods for representing statistical indicators on maps and within dashboards. While the course introduces popular software, it is not focused on any particular tool. Participants are encouraged to use the software of their choice, tailoring the techniques to their specific needs. 

Designed as an interactive e-learning experience, the course comprises six modules, each following a structured progression with mandatory pedagogical activities. These include videos, interactive content, chats, live lectures, webinars, document readings, exercises, homework assignments, polls, and quizzes, all aimed at engaging participants in active learning and application of the material...here

SIAP E-learning System
 

SIAP offers a range of e-learning courses across the domains of social, environment and economic statistics; data science; and statistical principles and methodologies. These courses are facilitated and supported by an expert in the field to the participants through regular communication in discussion box and through webinar(s) during the period of course delivery. A certificate is issued to successful participants completing the course after passing the prescribed examination.