This announcement of this joint initiative was originally posted on 19 May 2016 on UNSSC’s website: https://www.unssc.org/home/news/unssc-and-data-pop-alliance-partner-deliver-learning-initiatives-big-data-context-agenda-2030

The United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC) is delighted to announce the consolidation of a partnership agreement with Data-Pop Alliance – a global coalition on Big Data and development created by The Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, MIT Media Lab and the Overseas Development Institute, with the Flowminder Foundation as its 4th Core Member. Data-Pop Alliance brings together researchers, experts, practitioners, and activists to promote a people-centered Big Data revolution through collaborative research, capacity building, and community engagement.

The purpose of the partnership is to design, develop and deliver a comprehensive UN inter-agency training and learning programme to assist UN staff and development partners in the use of big data for inclusive and sustainable development.

By learning how to properly manage and analyse big data, participants will gain a better understanding of where the development gaps lie; whether and how data are used to inform programming and advocacy initiatives; and how they can monitor and evaluate the implementation of development policies more effectively. Learning how to use big data is therefore key for advancing Agenda 2030 and leaving no one behind.

The UNSSC, through its Knowledge Centre for Sustainable Development in Bonn, and Data-Pop Alliance will work together in the design and development of a face-to-face course titled Leveraging Big Data for Sustainable Development. In this course, UN staff and key partners will expand their skills in selecting, creating, using and interpreting data and statistics, with a particular focus on public policy-making and implementation. The first edition of this course will be held during the second semester of this year. For more information about how to enrol, please contact us at sustainable-development@unssc.org