1. How can we assure that local decision makers have the right statistics
Petra Kuncová
Czech Statistical Office

2. How can we assure….?
We have to be in contact with regional users – incl. local decision makers
We have to have right products and enough regional information

3. 1. Contact with regional users
Who are local decision makers – regional users?
Local Governments
Regional Authority (NUTS3-level)
Regional Councils (NUTS2-level = Structural funds)
Municipalities, Local Councils
Schools, Universities, Research Inst.
Chamber of Commerce, Ch. of Agriculture,…
Media
International Inst. – Cross-border cooperation

4. Contact with regional users
To be as close as possible… - 14 regional units of the CZSO

5. Regional Dissemination Units
Various activities:
Information Services
Publications
Analyses
Websites - each NUTS3 region
Partner for Local Governments, Universities…
Extensive knowledge base
RAISS = 14 Regional Dissemination Units
As my colleague has already told you RAISS has 14 Regional units – MAP.
In fact, we can call them Regional „Semi-Independent“ Dissemination Units as you will see later.
All regional RAIS units are part of the same Section, has the same position in the organization structure of CZSO, have common goals, purpose, head-management. But we are seated in different regions that have different problems to focus on, with different local governments that have different priorities (consequently with different partners to deal with).
VARIOUS ACTIVITIES => DIVERSITY:
So what are our main activities and what we are responsible for?
Generally, I can say, our work is very diverse.
We are providing not only Information Service which are mostly a matter of providing general statistical data (not just regional data) but we also issue regional publications, analyses on our region, administrate our own regional website and we are also partners and consultants for local institutions.
As you can see, our job is partly applied to regional data and partly to statistical data on the Czech republic or even on European data.

6. Ways of cooperation
Mutual Cooperation Agreements – signed by Regional Governor and President of the CZSO
Members of Working Groups – ROP, Reg. Develop. Strategies, Regional Human Resources Groups etc. - „Indicators consultants“ (not political definition of priorities)
The last but not least of our activities is to be Partners for Local Authorities.
The head of every Regional unit is CZSO deputy for the region (they are the highest managers – official representative of CZSO in the region = he or she is one of the 5 emploees)
MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL
The cooperation is mutually beneficial because WE GET information about users need from the first hand, THEY GET individual approach to their requests and needs
AGREEMENTS
In most regions Agreements on Mutual Cooperation has already been concluded between CZSO and Local Authority.
WORKING GROUPS
Very often, we are invited to be active members of working groups. We participated in preparing strategies or other programmes. For example, we participated in preparation of Regional operational Programs that are key document in each NUTS 2-level regarding the structural fund of Cehesion policy of the EU.
Even though we are partners for Local Authorities, there is a strict line drawn by us between the definition of political priorities (it is their job) and defining the set of indicators for monitoring and evaluations. We are just methodological and indicator consultants.

7. Other ways of cooperation
Public Presentations
Elections
Teaching in Local Universities
University graduation theses evaluations
Population Census 2011
And at the end of my presentation some examples of other activities of our Regional Units –
PRESENTATNIONS for users
We are making quite regularly the presentations for special groups of users – students, administration, media
ELECTION
CZSO is by czech law responsible for organizing all kind of election in Czech republic. So we participate in preparation and elections themselves
TEACHING in local Universities
We have got some employees who tutors at the Universities, some of our employees are also members of Academic Council in these Universities
We are also very frequently asked to give an expert opinion on students` graduation papers
POPULATION CENSUS 2011
As the year 2011 approach closer, some of us participates in preparation of Population Census in 2011, so far mostly only Regional deputies
I hope I have introduce the work of Regional dissemination Section in CZSO to you in sufficient detail.
If you have any additional question it will be welcomed. If not, we would like to thank you for your attention.

8. 2. Regional products
Website
Publications
Analyses

9. flexibility in up-dating
Regional Websites (1)
Each region ( NUTS 3) has its own website
Mostly administrated by Regional Unit itself
Lotus Notes
flexibility in up-dating
Website, its administration and its contents is another important part of our job.
As I have already told you, I am not the one who administrates the web in our region so I am afraid I won`t be able to provide you with very detailed technical background.
What I can tell you is, that it is run in Lotus Notes (which is the same software as for central CZSO website), but that is probably the only information I can give you here.
However, at least I can present you here our websites from the „contents“ point of view.
Each regional Unit has its own regional web – the MAIN ADVANTAGE is that the user can find all data on the region in question in one place.
Each regional unit administrates its own the web which means we can make changes quickly, in time and very flexibly. We can react to the users needs and interests immediately.

10. Regional Website 2. CENTRAL REGIONAL
Design: very similar to central CZSO website
(colours different in order to distinguish from central web)
As you can see, the design of the regional websites is very similar to the design of the central website of the CZSO
The most obvious difference is the colour – blue and brown
And the main reason for it is to make it easier for a user to distinguish at the first glance between regional and central websites.
CENTRAL
REGIONAL

11. Regional Website 3. Design and structure
= identical for all regional websites
Content
= similar for all regional websites (several sections where every Regional Unit can be „creative“)
Comprehensive data on the region
- not only CZSO products but also from other Czech statistics, Eurostat Regional Database…
DESIGN AND STRUCTURE
The design and structure of all regional websites is identical. This prevent the regional units from undesirable design invention and once the user become familiar with one regional website, he can easily use the others.
CONTENT
However, even though there is identical content in some parts of the website (I mean data related to the specific region, of course),
there is still enough space for the articles and analyses that reflect specifics of our region or the topics of our interest or the animated graphs, long time series and other popular features that can capture the users attention.

12. Data sorted by the topics
About CZSO
in the region
Data sorted by the regional level
Direct access to the other regional websites
Animated graphs or pictures of the region
Just very quickly: What can you find on our regional website?
Basic info About us in the region
About Statistical statements processed by Processing Dep. in the region
About Field Surveys in progress
About Our services,
MAP = Direct connection to other regional websites
Section with the latest released data on our region (usually quarterly updated – in some cases even monthly)
There are 2 different approaches to data sorting (access)– 1. The upper scrollbar – data sorted By topic (branches of statistics), 2. By regional level (municipalities, LAU 1, NUTS 3…)
There is also space for Animated graphs, maps or just pictures from our region
The latest data released on region

13. Regional Publications
Reduction of Printed Editions
Everything on website – for free
Deadlines for publication on website (Printed version later)
Close cooperation between regional units – working groups with deputies (authors) from some regional units
Other important agency we are resposible for is a creation of Regional publications. In total it is from 6 to 8 publications issued per year by every Regional Unit.
OBLIGATORY
For all regional units – Data publications such as Yearbook or Bulletin are OBLIGATORY. For preparation of these publications are established working groups with deputies from every regional unit.
NON-OBLIGATORY
As for non-obligatory publications – Each unit can choose from the list given by our head management or they decide to publish on their own reflecting specifics of the region) For publications that are non-obligatory we usually do not establish inter-regional working groups => close cooperation between Regional Units,
REDUCTION OF PRINTED EDITIONS
As my colleague has already mentioned, in the last few years there was a massive reduction of printed editions in the CZSO and so was in regional publications.
Generally speaking, with the exception of the yearbook or „wide analyses“ everything is published only as a e-version.
EVERYTHING ON WEBSITE
Moreover, everything we published is for free on our websites.
DEADLINE +
Deadline for publication is set for issuing on website!!! (Printed version comes out later.)

14. Regional Analyses „Wide“ Analysis (1 per year)
in Catalogue of Publications
Common projects but partly independent
Poly-thematic on specific regional level
Monothematic analysis (2-3 a year)
Reflects current events or specifics in region in question
Short Articles on websites
Usually in connection with CZSO News Releases
Another activity we are attended to is analytical work.
The output of our analytical activities is either WIDE DETAILED ANALYSIS, that are a part of Catalogue of Publications, which means they are published also in paper version, or MONOTHEMATIC ANALYSES concerning current events or SHORT ARTICLES usually connected with News Releases.
In analytical work we have usually free hands what to do, what to focus on. We can focus on regional specifics – for example on agriculture in agrarian regions, on mining and energy in regions with natural resources. Of course topics as Population or Labour market is important across all regions…
Still the WIDE ANALYSES are usually the common project of all regional units, so we cooperate and establish the working groups consist of deputies from (not all but most) regional units. Consequently, the regional versions are based on the output given by the working group. Yet, there is enough space for every regional unit to cover specifics of its region.

15. Wide Regional Analyses 1.
Position of Rural Areas (2009)
Selected Issues of Sustainable Development (2007)
Human Resources (2006, planned for 2010)
Regional Disparities within the Region (2006)
Demographic, Social and Economic Development (2005)
These are examples of WIDE ANALYSES published in recent years.
Position of RURAL AREAS in region – based on MUNICIPAL level data
Selected issue of SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT in the region – based on NUTS3 level data
Regional DISPARITIES in region – based on DISTRICT level data

16. Wide Regional Analyses 2.
„User-friendly“ for Public
Often based on cooperation with Local Government or Local University /Researchers
„Higher Practical usage“
For example, this is the Selected Issues of Sustainable Development in Ustecky kraj – we cooperated very closely with our Regional Authority because our region has already had a Regional Strategy on Sustainable Development in our region but with not very suitable set of indicators (most indicators were really nice but unrealistic from the statistical point of view and availability).
Other regional units did not have the same kind of document available so they describe the Sustainable development in their regions, basicly, on their local knowledge or in cooperation with their Local Authorities.
That is why we helped them to define a new set of indicators that can be measured and are available, make sense and measure the development in areas defined by the priorities.
However, the cooperation with the local authority is not a rule.

17. Thank you for your attention!
I hope we have introduced the work of Regional dissemination Section in CZSO to you in details.
If you have any additional questions, they will be welcomed. If not, we would like to thank you for your attention.
Petra Kuncová
Czech Statistical Office