ESARO/Global MICS4 Mop-up Workshop on Data Processing, Nairobi, 22 February-6 March 2010

Today the ESARO/Global MICS4 Mop-up Workshop on Data Processing came to a close in Nairobi, Kenya, for countries from around the world planning MICS fieldwork during the the first half of 2010.

The workshop began on February 22 and was organised at the Jacaranda Hotel, Nairobi, by UNICEF ESARO. The workshop was attended by data processing experts from the implementing agencies of 7 countries (number of participants in parentheses): Mongolia (3), Mozambique (1), Nepal (1), Somalia (3), North and Sudan (3 and 2), Suriname (2), Swaziland (2). Data processing experts from two regional offices also attended: MENARO (1) and ESARO (2).

The main facilitators of the workshop were Ivana Bjelic (MICS Data Processing Expert), Alexandar Zoric (Consultant), and Turgay Unalan (Statistics Specialist). The workshop included three main components: Data entry and editing with CSPro, preparation of analysis files and Introduction to SPSS and tabulations with SPSS, and survey archiving with the IHSN toolkit.

Bo Pedersen (ESARO MICS Coordinator), Jaychandaran Vasudevan (Consultant), Pierre Martel (Consultant), Yadigar Coskun (Consultant), and Rajesh Sharma (Consultant) also participated and supported the facilitation of sessions. Dorothy Rozga (Deputy Regional Director, ESARO) and Philip Jespersen (Regional M&E Advisor, ESARO) delivered the welcome and introduction speeches on data processing tools and the importance of quality and timely data to which capacity building through the MICS Workshops are key.

Sessions and discussions were delivered in English. At the end of the workshop, participants were presented certificates of attendance. Participants were data processing experts from MICS4 implementing agencies, and came to the workshop with almost-final versions of their questionnaires. Upon return to their countries, country teams are expected to be able to customize standard MICS4 data entry and editing programs in CSPro, to prepare analysis data files and adopt tabulation syntax in SPSS and customise the survey archive using IHSN toolkit.

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Regional MICS4 Workshop on Data Processing - Dakar, 16-29 October, 2009

The second Regional MICS4 Workshop on Data Processing was organized in Dakar (Senegal), for the countries of West and Central Africa region.

The workshop began on October 16th and concluded on October 29th. Organized at the Hotel Méridien Président by UNICEF WCARO, the workshop was attended by data processing experts from 7 countries (with numbers of participants in parentheses): Cameroon (1), Central African Republic (2), Chad (2), Democratic Republic of the Congo (2), Gambia (1), Mali (3) and Senegal (3).

The main facilitators of the workshop were Ivana Bjelic (MICS Data Processing Expert) and Trevor Croft (Consultant), and included three main components: Data entry and editing with CSPro, preparation of analysis files and tabulations with SPSS, and survey archiving with the IHSN toolkit.

Harouna Koche (Consultant) and Zacharie Sanou (Consultant) also participated and supported the facilitation of sessions. Michele Seroussi (Regional MICS Coordinator) attended selected workshop sessions. Martin Mba (Chief of the Division of Informatics and Data Bases, National Institute of Statistics, Cameroon) delivered a presentation on positive practices in survey archiving and took an active part in working groups.

Sessions and discussions were delivered in English and French, and simultaneously translated. At the end of the workshop, participants were presented certificates of attendance.

The participants were data processing experts from MICS4 implementing agencies, and came to the workshop with almost-final versions of their questionnaires. Upon return to their countries, country teams are expected to be able to customize standard MICS4 data entry and editing programs in CSPro, to prepare analysis data files and adopt tabulation syntax in SPSS and customize the survey archive using IHSN toolkit.


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Regional MICS4 Workshop on Data Processing - Bangkok, 7-19 September, 2009

The first regional MICS4 workshop on data processing has just been completed in Bangkok, for the countries of South Asia, East Asia and Pacific regions.

The workshop began on September 7th and concluded on September 19th. Organized at the Landmark Hotel by APSSC, the workshop was attended by data processing experts from 5 countries (with numbers of participants in parentheses): Afghanistan (3), Bhutan (3), DPRKorea (3), Myanmar (2), and Pakistan (3).

The workshop was mainly facilitated by Ivana Bjelic (MICS Data Processing Expert) and Sherell Goggin (Consultant), and included three main components: Data entry and editing with CSPro, secondary editing and tabulations with SPSS, and survey archiving with the IHSN toolkit. Turgay Unalan (MICS Household Survey Specialist) and Attila Hancioglu (Global MICS Coordinator) also coordinated sessions, mainly those on SPSS.

Rhiannon James (Regional MICS Specialist) was in attendance throughout. Mokhles Rahman (Consultant) also participated and supported the facilitation of sessions.

The Regional MICS4 Data Processing Workshop is the second workshop organized in each region, after having countries attend the first workshop on Survey Design. Expected to attend to this workshop are data processing experts from MICS4 implementing agencies, with finalized questionnaires. The workshop is not about a comprehensive teaching of CSPro or SPSS, but is, rather modestly, about getting the participants understand how they need to adopt the standard CSPro data entry and editing, and SPSS secondary editing and tabulation programs to their country surveys, in accordance with their questionnaires.

The next regional MICS4 workshop on data processing is scheduled to take place in Dakar, during the second half of October 2009.


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