1 The ESSnet project GEOSTAT Vilni Verner Holst Bloch Coordinator of ESSnet project GEOSTAT 1A Statistics Norway Representing Census data in a European population grid ESSnet workshop in Rome, Italy 3rd and 4th of December 2012 Ola Erik Nordbeck Coordinator of ESSnet project GEOSTAT 1B Statistics Norway

2 Overview of the presentation Project oriented Main objectives Project partners Timeline - Meetings and milestones Is Geostat as an ESSnet project only a success? What are critical factors for a ESSnet project? Future project developments ESSnet oriented What could contribute to improvement of the functioning of ESSnets? Is ESSnet the proper organisational form to achieve the proposed objectives? How can the ESSnet concept be further developed?

3 Main objectives Developing guidelines for datasets and methods for linking census 2010/2011 statistics to a common harmonised grid Building on the network and work made by partners in the EFGS and in the Geostat 1A project Assist National Statistical Institutes to link statistics to the geography Make easy and barrier-free dissemination of data and handle licensing matters Develop case studies showing the potential of geostatistics Having a maintenance plan for data and proposal of sustainable organisation

4 Project partners Partner NumberPartner name Partner short name Country (Co-ordinator)Statistics NorwayNONorway (subcontractor)MD mappingMDSweden 1 (Co-partner)Statistics BulgariaBGBulgaria 2 (Co-partner)Statistics Czech RepublicCZCzech Republic 3 (Co-partner)Statistics EstoniaEEEstonia 4 (Co-partner)Statistics FinlandFIFinland 5 (Co-partner)Statistics PortugalPRPortugal Volountary contributions: National Statistical Institute of France, Poland, Slovenia and Sweden

5 GISCO st2nd3rd 4th1st2nd3rd4th1st EFGS conference Kick off 8-9th Feb Work shop 2 GISCO 2012 EFGS conference Work shop 3 Presentation Intermediate report Presentation Final report Dates for teleconferences and other relevant meetings to be decided Quarter Timeline - Meetings and milestones

6 Is Geostat as an ESSnet project only a success? Yes, the direct impact was Coordinated task sharing and funding has resulted in: –Population dataset –Guidelines –EFGS website –EFGS conferences Yes, the indirect impact is –Broader awareness –Consensus building –A broader participating community also outside the project No: ESSnet is about methodological activities and not about producing datasets A project-to-project approach is very demanding in terms of administration – long lasting coordination is not ensured Differences in culture and languages, Might be time consuming to work with a lot of partners, Differences in culture and languages, Lack of sparring partners

7 What are critical factors for an ESSnet project? Success factors: Good cooperation between and coordination of partners Good planning, clearly defined tasks and roles Accountability Openness about problems and development issues Physical meetings outside the office settings Failure or hampering factors: Bad planning, mismatch in timing of tasks between partners Bad accountability, other tasks given higher priority Heavy “Bureaucracy” and hierarchical structures Technical persons with little administrative experience Telephone conferences with many participants

8 Future project developments Improving guidelines Making trainings based on guidelines Develop support system for better coverage of existing statistics on geographical grids Extend work to cover other geostatistical topics Make good examples to follow

9 What could contribute to improvement of the functioning of ESSnets? Making pre-financing to a regular part of a ESSnet project Making participation in the ESSnet workshop mandatory for the ESSnet projects Common web portal for dissemination of results (done, but need more information and support on how to use this ESSnet portal) Simplified procedures in the application process (partially done, but may be improved, see next ballpoint) Common web portal for submitting application details Set up of forums for long term development of professional knowledge exchange (action to be made in ESSnet Geostat project together with Eurostat)

10 Is ESSnet the proper organisational form to achieve the proposed objectives? In areas where all or many of the NSIs meet the same challenges, an ESSnet project serve as a good platform for cooperation and development of guidelines.

11 How can the ESSnet concept be further developed? Common international projects creates cross border professional relationships, that should be safeguarded for ease of future common projects. Set up goals of establishing permanent fora within the ESS To ensure that existing ESSnet projects are followed up, through standing committees or legal entities with HR and economic frameworks, so they become sustainable Establish links with other regional fora, both at a European and a Global level. (To avoid double work in reporting from national levels)