Training for initial country analysis and datafiles preparation ; on the basis of GGP data Nico van Nimwegen Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute (NIDI) The Hague, the Netherlands GGP, Spetses, May 2004

The aim of a GGP training program is to be tailored to: -- the rich diversity of research interests and -- the varying levels of expertise; So, a single shot training solution is not feasible.

At the other hand,  All training participants use the same common GGP dataset, with a common research methodology  All training participants envisage to publish about the data, and  All training has to be organised in the absence of a training budget

So, we have to explore options within existing training facilities, and in this presentation we will only concentrate on the first phase of data preparation and country analysis

Data preparation includes e.g.: ordering the raw data of retrospective observations on demographic and related life course events to allow for event history analysis This requires a workshop on ‘longitudinal datafile preparation’ to come to a set of comparable GGS datafiles for all participating countries

Next to that, several training workshops could be envisaged addressing specific themes such as: -- fertility and family dynamics -- gender issues -- construction of scales (reliability and validity control)

The international Max Planck Research School for Demography (IMPRSD) is Europe’s largest collaborative program of research training in population studies - a network of leading researchers - that can provide a complete set of high-level courses

The IMPRSD does not charge fees. The largest number of courses is offered in Rostock, others are given by Consortium members at various locations around Europe

IMPRSD could be invited to host or co- organize both the longitudinal datafile workshop, as well as thematic analysis workshops.

Other thematical analysis workshops could be organised by the participating GGS countries, possibly in cooperation with the IMPRSD. The Consortium Board could make a first inventory of topics and host countries for these workshops.

In the longer run, and for specialized training, the Research Training Network Demographic Sustainability and European Integration (RTN DEMOG) offers good possibilities.

This network was founded in 2002 by eight leading demographic research institutes in Europe. and enables PhD students and Post-doctoral scholars to spend some time carrying out research and receiving training under the guidance of leading experts in the population field.

Notably the Research Training Network theme on fertility processes, coordinated by INED (Laurent Toulemon) seems to be of interest for GGP

A first discussion with Dr Heiner Maier, Dean of the International Max Planck Research School for Demography, and Coordinator of the Research Training Network showed the interest of the School and the Network in becoming involved in GGP related training.

Another possibility is offered by the European Science Foundation via a Program for Quantitative Methods in the Social Sciences.

This program runs from 2003 to 2007, and includes courses on: -- cross-sectional data analysis -- measurement -- data quality -- theory & praxis in longitudinal data… End of a first investigation into existing training facilities that might be of interest for GGP researchers  

The NIDI would be interested to (co-) organize a workshop on -- longitudinal data file structure, and/or a -- event history analysis, or -- multistate models both within the framework of IMPRSD or the European Science Foundation.