The Central Statistics Office should consider whether statistical releases could provide more analytical explanations of developments and more contextual material without compromising the need to be seen as impartial. (Improvement-related: ES CoP, Indicator 15.1).
Over the last three years there has been a drive to focus on narrative and context in releases and press releases were the key means of providing this layer of analysis. One of the challenges, however, is that not all statistical areas are willing to use a press release for every release or even at times of increased media focus on a particular topic such as increasing house prices or the rising cost of construction materials. Also, it became clear that not everyone was accessing both the press release and the statistical release and so were losing out on key context and data.
To address this issue, the Communications & Dissemination division has developed a new publication format, which incorporates key elements of the press release such as key findings and a statistician’s comment into the body of every statistical release.
The Communications & Dissemination team are taking a greater role in the approval of each release ahead of publication to ensure that clear, concise language is used to improve accessibility to CSO data. This approach has been successfully piloted and is now being gradually rolled out to all releases. There is evidence of greater media pick-up where the new format has been applied, with many outlets echoing the language used in the release or directly quoting the statistician. Some releases, that used the new format, were covered by the media for the first time.
Conduct a review of statistical releases. The Communications & Dissemination Division will conduct a comprehensive review of all the statistical releases (new formats and emphasis on text) and provide feedback to the Management Board of where improvements can be made.
Q4 2024.
Central Statistics Office.
Define a new release format. The Communications & Dissemination team will then work with the statistical areas to make the necessary improvements in terms of context and narrative.
Q4 2024.
Central Statistics Office.
Roll out new release format. In conjunction with this, the Communications & Dissemination team will also continue the roll out of the new release format developed in 2022 and will also advise on reviewing the titles of some releases to help clarify or indicate what data each release might contain.
Q4 2024.
Central Statistics Office.
The Central Statistics Office should elaborate a strategy for relations with academia, which would cover inputs from academia to ongoing statistical production, inputs in the context of development activities as well as activities to raise the profile of the Central Statistics Office as a potential employer among students at universities and similar institutions. (Improvement-related: ES CoP, Indicators 7.5 and 7.7).
The Central Statistics Office has had a long history of engagement with academia both through co-operation by our statistical staff with teaching faculty in Irish academic institutions in the context of modules on official statistics and through the development of dedicated academic programmes, in particular the European Masters in Official Statistics, now accredited for delivery through University College Dublin and University College Cork.
Latterly, CSO has focused on bringing advanced academic expertise to bear in the development of its own in-house expertise, a recent example of which is collaboration with Professor David Haziza from Ottowa University and Statistics Canada. Training has been provided to staff in the CSO and ISS in the areas of:
Professor Haziza is also collaborating with CSO and providing advice on the following areas related to advanced sampling:
Increasingly, the CSO is committing to collaboration with academia to promote research and engagement in key priority areas for official statistics.
CSO Research Programme. The CSO Management Board has approved a proposal to create a CSO Research Programme. The primary objective of the programme is to support and develop statistical research within the CSO and promote collaboration with researchers and academia. The programme includes a plan to host an Annual Research Conference which would include papers and presentations both from within the CSO and from across the academic/research community, building new links and strengthening existing relationships.
Q4 2024.
Central Statistics Office.
Reinvigorated Graduate Programme. The CSO will offer a re-invigorated Graduate Programme filled with development opportunities for graduates. The success of the programme will be promoted through engagement with universities and other educational institutions. The re-invigorated Graduate Programme is a means of promoting longer term connections with academia, building a link between academia and CSO and making the CSO an employer of choice in the marketplace. The timing of the updated programme has now also been changed so that recruitment begins soon after graduate fairs have been completed.
Q4 2024.
Central Statistics Office.
New CSO Careers Page. A new Interactive Careers Page on CSO website will welcome potential staff to an exciting organisation filled with opportunities to develop and progress. A QR code will take potential staff direct to the careers page. The new careers page will act as a shop window for potential staff promoting the CSO as an Employer of Choice. HR are also working with a marketing company on recruitment messaging. This will feed into the development of the new Careers Page and CSO’s social media messaging around recruitment.
Q4 2024.
Central Statistics Office.
Attendance at National Events. Attendance at Nationwide events also raises the profile of the CSO and ensures that it is a recognisable brand. The CSO will promote its brand and work at these nationwide events.
Q4 2024.
Central Statistics Office.
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