Leveraging Big Data for Sustainable Development
A course by Data-Pop Alliance in partnership with the United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC)
27-31 March 2017
MIT Media Lab, Cambridge, MA

Following the launch last year of our Global Professional Training Program on Big Data for Sustainable Development developed and delivered in partnership with UNSSC and financial support from the Hewlett Foundation, Data-Pop Alliance and UNSSC will be offering a series of workshops around the globe in 2017, starting at the MIT Media Lab at the end of March on March 27th-31st. Subsequent workshops will take place in Bangkok, Dakar, Nairobi, Kigali, Bogotá and New York City. An e-library of key resources on Big Data and sustainable development and all workshop material will also made available under the program.

The main objective of the program and of these workshops is to enhance participants’ “Big Data literacy” in the context and in support of the data revolution and the post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda by providing them with a deeper understanding, skills, resources, and connections to address the key applications and implications of Big Data in their work related to sustainable development, and as citizens.

The program primarily targets the needs of early to mid-career professionals with introductory to intermediate skills in statistics and economics involved in designing, implementing and/or evaluating development projects, programs, and policies, especially those related to sustainable development, in UN and other international agencies, government institutions, academia, civil society organizations, the media, private companies, etc. Over 4 full days, participants will be exposed to a blend of learning formats, including traditional instructor-led teaching, keynote speakers, and interactive and hands-on technical sessions, led by some of the best experts in the world. All participants who follow the entire course will receive a certificate of completion from Data-Pop Alliance and UNSSC.

The workshop will be structured as follows; further information is available here. A detailed agenda with a list of speakers will be available on March 1st.

Agenda

Day 0, Monday March 27th: Welcome reception at the MIT Media Lab hosted by Professor Alex ‘Sandy’ Pentland

Day 1, Tuesday March 28th: “Contexts and Concepts”: Understanding key Big Data ideas in order to place sustainable development-related problems in their larger political economy context and translate them into specific data objectives

Day 2, Wednesday March 29th: “Methods and Tools”: Applying Big Data methods and tools to yield insights for specific sustainable development-related problems

Day 3, Thursday March 30th: “Design and Strategy”: Engaging key stakeholders and communities through ethical practices and effective story-telling

Day 4, Friday March 31st: “Big Data for Sustainable Development in Action Lab”: Operationalizing Big Data as inclusive projects, partnerships and policies

Register now for this course!
Registration is open until 21 March 2017.