1. 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 September 2012, Budapest

2. Background Previous discussions involved Eurostat
National statistical offices
Academy
Training European
Comprehensive
High level
NSIs
ESS

3. 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

4. The Italian contribution
ISTAT
(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

5. A School to boost statistical literacy in the country….

6. …with more than one target audience

7. 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

8. NSIs’ contribution: an added value
Professionals and researchers
as teachers…
…and as trainees
Definition of contents

9. Training needs First of all:
Statistical tools to improve data production and analysis
Estimation 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, …..

10. 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

11. The Italian Initiative
Advanced School for Statistics and Socio-Economic Analyses / Istat Italian Statistical Society Academy

12. 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

13. Target Istat researchers Staff of the National Statistical System
Statisticians in various institutions
Young graduates
Selected cooperation projects
…and EMOS

14. 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

15. Thank you for your attention sorvillo@istat.it scuola@istat.it