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Course: Official Statistics - Organisation, Regulation, Portfolio

This course provides a comprehensive and practice-oriented overview of the organisational, legal, and governance frameworks underpinning official statistics, with a particular focus on how national statistical portfolios are structured, regulated, and aligned with user needs and policy priorities.

Key Topics:

  • International principles for official statistics, including the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics and their operationalisation in relation to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

  • Governance models and institutional arrangements for organising national statistical systems, including roles, mandates, and coordination mechanisms.

  • Legal frameworks regulating official statistics, with an emphasis on statistical legislation, secondary regulations, and authoritative guidelines.

  • Development and management of a national statistical portfolio, aligned with the Classification of Statistical Activities (CSA 2.0), user needs, and national policy priorities.

Outcome:

Participants will gain a structured understanding of how official statistics are governed, regulated, and strategically managed at the system level.

Based on local circumstances, participants will jointly develop:

  • an inventory of relevant legal frameworks, regulations, guidelines, and policies; and

  • an analysis of their alignment with international standards and national priorities (e.g. SDGs and the national portfolio of official statistics).

Target group:

Senior staff in national statistical offices, line ministries, and other authorities responsible for official statistics.

Prerequisites: None
Duration: 3 to 5 days

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Course: Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) for Statistical Capacity and Process Improvement

This course introduces Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) as a governance framework for strengthening statistical systems and improving institutional performance within National Statistical Offices (NSOs).

Building on established organisational and regulatory foundations, the course demonstrates how MEL can be used to align statistical outputs with national priorities, stakeholder needs, and international commitments such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). MEL is presented as a structured approach for continuous improvement, organisational learning, and statistical resilience.

Grounded in ISO 9001 principles and the Plan–Do–Check–Act (PDCA) cycle, the course focuses on strategic design and practical application of MEL frameworks in statistical systems. Participants will explore how MEL supports capacity development by identifying systemic gaps, prioritising resources, and embedding feedback mechanisms into decision-making and governance processes.

Key themes include:

  • Designing MEL frameworks for statistical systems and national statistical offices.

  • Using monitoring and evaluation to identify gaps, risks, and improvement priorities.

  • Stakeholder mapping and engagement as a core component of effective statistical governance.

  • Aligning statistical outputs with policy priorities and national and international frameworks.

  • Integrating MEL within existing statistical production models, including the Generic Statistical Business Process Model (GSBPM), to enhance coherence and efficiency.

  • Applying a capacity development matrix to assess and strengthen capabilities at system, organisational, and individual levels.

The course provides conceptual clarity and strategic guidance rather than hands-on technical training. Examples related to surveys, data management, analysis, and reporting are used to illustrate governance principles and quality considerations, not to train specific tools or software. Participants will also gain guidance on:

Course structure

Pre-course preparation (online): Self-paced materials introducing MEL concepts and stakeholder mapping fundamentals.

Week 1 – Foundations (4 days, in person): MEL principles, KPI development, embedding MEL in statistical workflows, and stakeholder mapping.

Week 4 – Advanced applications (4 days, in person): Feedback loops, policy influence, sustaining MEL practices, and refinement of strategies.

Follow-up sessions: Held approximately in weeks 10 and 20 to address implementation challenges, review progress, and support adaptive learning.

Outcome

After completing the course, participants will be able to:

  • Design and implement MEL frameworks aligned with ISO 9001 and PDCA principles.

  • Use monitoring and evaluation to guide strategic improvements in statistical systems.

  • Strengthen institutional resilience and support sustainable statistical capacity development.

  • Engage stakeholders systematically to ensure alignment with policy priorities and user needs.

  • Apply MEL as a governance and learning mechanism rather than a technical reporting exercise.

Prerequisites: Familiarity with the National Statistical System is recommended. The course is accessible to participants without technical M&E or IT backgrounds.

Duration (total): 15–20 days