1. A Skills and Learning Observatory for Wales Building on best practice A review of Observatory development in the UK and beyond

2. What is an Observatory? The term “Observatory” is used to describe a central unit or portal that will enable a user to access a wide selection of information about a subject area. The most successful Observatories are those that enhance the data through intelligent analysis and informed debate. Observatories can cover a range of subject areas – the most common being health.

3. What is an Observatory?  The term ‘Observatory’ is not a new one.  Concept has emerged in Europe over the last 10 years  Models range from Websites offering single reports to highly developed portals containing sophisticated knowledge management tools.  Observatories have been established in eight of the nine regions of England and in Scotland  Regional Observatories at different stages of development - lessons to be learned.

4. Why does Wales need a Skills and Learning Observatory?  All policy makers need to have access to the widest and latest information on research and best practise and all decisions need to be demonstrably rooted in this knowledge.  The creation of a Welsh Skills and Learning Observatory will:  Generate joined up intelligence on the economy, labour market, education skills and learning in Wales  Provide evidence about Wales upon which strategy and policy can be developed.  Further embed FSW into the policy making arena.

5. Proposed vision for the Observatory To ensure that individuals, learning providers, businesses and policy makers have access to comprehensive, accurate and up to date information about their local and regional economies to inform personal choice, learning provision, business development and skills and that policy interventions and actions are fully informed by robust and accessible evidence on learning, skills and the labour market.

6. Proposed Objectives  To develop effective engagement of key partners and the sharing of intelligence across a wide partnership  To be the key co-ordinator, assembler, analyser and disseminator of skills and learning information in Wales  Add “intelligence” to national and regional skills issues, considering the implications for now and in the future  Influence decision making at all levels  Lead a forward looking shared research programme

7. Key issues emerging from the Review

8. Purpose  Improve the evidence base for policy making and practice  Improving the availability and quality of information and intelligence  Developing frameworks for data sharing  Provide access to information and intelligence via websites and a range of electronic dissemination tools.

9. Purpose  For some, the emphasis is on gathering, warehousing and presenting data. Key considerations are:  providing incentives for the submission of data  on-line tools that allow the presentation and querying of data  Others place greater emphasis on 'intelligising' the data - sharing it with different audiences in different ways in order to develop common understandings and strategies. The range of activities employed by observatories to this end varies vastly:  hosting workshops and on-line discussions  developing reports for regional partners  development of forecasting models.

10. Other functions  Management of research programmes and projects  Identifying gaps in data and intelligence and plugging gaps  Monitoring regional strategies  Providing intelligence and analysis to support regional strategies/plans  Providing state of the region reports  Provision of sophisticated GIS mapping systems to store and present regional data  Policy development  Good practice collation and dissemination  Benchmarking

11. Structure and management  Involvement of strategic partners is crucial  Issue of “who owns the Observatory”  Independence is seen as valuable  Three models  ELWa  Partnership such as FSW  Independent model (contracted out or new company)

12. Resourcing the Observatories  Budgets range from very little to £1m.  Funding from strategic agencies and Europe  Possible future charging for services  Is there the potential to share costs across partners and achieve economies of scale?

13. Activities and services  Data warehousing  Data mapping  Data sharing and agreements on standardisation  Employers surveys  Local and sector and economic profiles  Research programmes  Searchable databases of research/expertise  Forecasting  Foresighting  Learning themes and focused policy debates

14. Activities & Services cont’d  Research surveys and report  News bulletins and briefings  Policy briefings  Good practice collation and dissemination  On-line data access and manipulation  Helpdesks  State of the region reports  Information portal  Website

15. Links to plans  Observatories playing a role in supporting the development of plans and strategies  Increasingly monitoring progress  Consideration will need to be given to what role the Skills and Learning Observatory would play in supporting and monitoring strategies and plans within Wales?

16. Other issues  The need to engender a culture of information and data sharing.  The need to be realistic and manage expectations

17. Key questions  Which model is right for Wales?  What should be the focus?  Who is the key audience?  How would an Observatory add value to that which is already underway in Wales?  How should it link with other Observatories and networks within Wales and beyond?  What activities and services are needed and what are the priorities if resources are limited?

18. Key questions  How should be managed and owned?  How should users be involved?  Communication and dissemination?