Blog from August, 2020

Evaluating the pilot Data Integration Community of Practice showed me how this initiative has had early success in bringing people together to explore achievements and challenges in data integration. I was struck by the strong support to continue and to keep evolving in response to a growing community.  

This Confluence site is here to encourage more interaction by adding resources, comments, and asking and answering questions. We've made some changes to help you build this community and engage with others.

1. New public landing page - experts outside the community can apply to join us. Share the link - https://stat-confluence.escap.un.org/display/DICP/Data+Integration+Community+of+Practice - with your contacts and colleagues who could benefit from being part of this community.
   
   

   Once you're a registered member, make sure you bookmark the Home page so you don't have to click through from the landing page every time.

   
   
   

2. Content re-grouped under four topics - each page brings resources and case studies, related pages and questions together (and is generated dynamically based on labels)
   
   1. Planning for data integration
   2. Data considerations and quality
   3. Methods and tools
   4. Different types of data integration

The Data Integration Community of Practice is your place for the exchange of information and ideas. The content and structure of this site will evolve with the needs of the community. Any feedback and suggestions are encouraged and welcome.

The 6^th International Conference on Big Data for official statistics will take place from 31 August – 2 September 2020 as a virtual event due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The main theme of the Conference is “How can Big Data help in the COVID-19 response?” Related themes are: “How can Big Data support the monitoring of the progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals?” and “The need for global data collaboration on global emerging issues”. The Conference is organized by the Statistics Korea and the United Nations Global Working Group (GWG) on Big Data for Official Statistics, which was created under the UN Statistical Commission in 2014.

Register here: http://www.unbigdata.kr/registration/privacypolicy.php

The Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and Esri are teaming up to solve global challenges through GIS and storytelling. Last month, they launched SDGs Today: The Global Hub for Real-Time SDG Data. Now, they’re challenging students and professionals to put their GIS and storytelling skills to the test and enter in the 2020 ArcGIS StoryMaps Competition for the SDGs.

Simply create an original story that addresses one or more of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and submit it by November 25th.

What are ArcGIS StoryMaps? ArcGIS StoryMaps are Esri’s digital storytelling tool that allows you to integrate custom maps with narrative text, images, and multimedia content to tell compelling stories.

For more details about the competition, check out the press release and visit our website. Sign up for updates about the competition and more at Planet StoryMaps here.

About the session:

Big data and other non-traditional data sources are an exciting prospect for national statistical offices faced with increasing demand for more statistics of greater timeliness and relevance as has been experienced in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the COVID-19 pandemic. This increasing demand often coincides with declining budgets. Big data and other non-traditional data sources can sometimes offer comparatively inexpensive solutions. Globally and regionally, activities associated with these data sources continue to grow. The opportunities for member State engagement and involvement are vast. This seminar is held as preparation for the 7th Committee on Statistics. The presentations will highlight some of the key global and regional  developments to support NSOs to use big data and participants will have a chance to discuss the prospects of big data for official statistics in Asia and the Pacific.

Agenda:

• Welcome: Gemma Van Halderen
• Big Data and official statistics – the role of the Global Working Group: Niels Ploug
• The big data regional hub of the United Nations global platform in China: Wang Wenna
• Current progress of Big Data utilization for official statistics in Indonesia: Ali Said
• Questions and answers : Tanja Sejersen

Welcome by: Gemma Van Halderen, Director, Statistics Division, ESCAP

Speakers:

• Niels Ploug, Director of Social Statistics, Statistics Denmark (responsible for SDG data), and co-chair  of UN Global Working Group on Big Data for Official Statistics
• Wang Wenna, Head of the Centre on the Application of Big Data in Hangzhou, and Deputy Director-General of NBS Survey Office in Zhejiang, National Bureau of Statistics of China
• Ali Said, Director of Analysis and Development of Statistics at Statistics Indonesia, and the lead of the development of Big Data uses for official statistics in BPS
• Tanja Sejersen, Statistician, Statistics Division, ESCAP

Date: Monday, 17 August 2020

Time: 12:00-13:30 hrs. (Bangkok Time)

Please register to the session Here and join us at Microsoft Team Meeting.

>>> See other Asia-Pacific Stats Café series

About the session:

Economic, Environment and Satellite Accounts align well with the Asia and the Pacific’s strategies for advancing official statistics for the 2030 Agenda the collective vision and framework for action by the Asia Pacific statistical community, which focuses on strengthening statistical capacity to produce, disseminate and use official statistics through five action areas, and the Declaration on Navigating Policy with Data to Leave No One Behind, as their use and production requires a strong national statistical system and government support and engagement As a priority area identified in the forthcoming 7th session of the Committee on Statistics, the panel discussions will focus on global and regional initiatives and the current efforts in progressing economic, environmental and satellite accounts in the region The aim is to share experiences and determine priority actions for member States, UN entities and development partners on how regional collaboration on accounts may support and strengthen national efforts to advance accounting in Asia and the Pacific.

Moderator:

• Ms. Gemma Van Halderen, Director, Statistics Division, ESCAP
• Ms. Rikke Munk Hansen, Chief, Economic and Environment Statistics, Statistics Division, ESCAP

Panelists:

• Mr. Mohd Uzir Mahidin (PhD), Chief Statistician, Department of Statistics, Malaysia
• Mr. Ben Milligan (PhD), Secretariat Director, Global Ocean Accounts Partnership
• Mr. Leota Aliielua Salani, Assistant CEO, National Accounts & Finance Statistics Division, Samoa Bureau of Statistics
• Ms. Vivian R. Ilarina, Assistant National Statistician, Macroeconomic Accounts Service, Philippine Statistics Authority

Date: Monday 10 August 2020

Time: 12:00-13:00 hrs. (Bangkok Time)

Please register to the session Here and join us at Microsoft Team Meeting.

>>> See other Asia-Pacific Stats Café series