Essnet on Small Area Estimation

ESSnet on Small Area Estimation

Course on small area estimation

Dear colleague,

TheESSnet on Small Area Estimation (ESSnet-SAE) is a 2-years project partially funded by Eurostatand active from December 2009 to December 2011.

An overview of the activities related to this ESSnet can be found in the EU portal

The Institutions involved in the project are: Istat (Italy, coordinator), INSEE (France), DESTATIS (Germany), CBS (The Netherlands), SSB (Norway), GUS (Poland), INE (Spain), ONS (United Kingdom), SFSO (Switzerland).

This ESSnet organizes a 4-days course for interested NSIs in the area of small area estimation, to be held in Rome from 17 October to 20 October 2011.

Please, refer to the attached documentation for an overview of theproposed course programme.

Trainees airplane ticket costs will be covered by the ESSnet-SAE budget up to a maximum of 500 Euro.

Applications to the course should be emailed to Stefano Falorsi () by 1August 2011 attaching the filled-in application form.

Looking forward to hearing from you

Yours truly,

Stefano Falorsi: ESSnet-SAE coordinator

Istituto Nazionale di Statistica (Istat)

Via Cesare Balbo 16, 00184 Roma (ITALY)

Tel: +39 06 4673 4133

Fax. +39 06 4673 2508

Email:

Small area Estimation
Course Leader / Name: Stefano, Falorsi(ISTAT, Italy)
Target Group / Statistical methodologists or researchers from National StatisticalInstitutes who are (or could be) involved at estimation stage of the production of statistical information
Entry Qualifications / Sound command of English. Participants should be able to make short interventions and to actively participate in discussions.
Knowledge of sampling theory, regression models, R.
Objective(s) / The aim of the course is to provide the participants with a basic understanding of the techniques of small area estimation. The course will also provide quality assessment to make participants able to choose between available methods.
The course will introduce the participants to the use of the available software tools in R
Contents / Model assisted estimators, model based estimator, EBLUP.
Software for small area estimation.
Expected Output / Participants will become familiar with the methodologies for small area estimation.
In particular they will:
-Be able to apply different solutions available in literature;
- Apply a methodology for choosing between estimators
Training Methods / Combination of theoretical sessions and software sessions. Case studies will be discussed. Participants are encouraged to propose their own case studies.
Required Reading / None
Suggested Reading / Rao, J.N.K., Small area estimation, Wiley, New York;
EURAREA_Project_Reference_Volume
ESSnet SAE Report of WP3 “Quality assessment Report”available on Repository from the site
Required Preparation / None
Required Equipment / None
Trainer(s)/
Lecturer(s) / Stefano Falorsi,Michele D’Alò, Loredana Di Consiglio, Fabrizio Solari
When / Duration
(DAYS) / Where / Course language / Organiser
4 / Rome / English
Programme of the training course on
Small area estimation
10-13 October 2011

The aim of this course is to enable participants to acquire basic knowledge on small area estimation methods. During the course the most relevant techniques, both design and model based, will be illustrated. Some recent techniques will also be described. The theoretical aspects will be supported by practical sessions, including analysis of real case studies and the use of suitable software routines.

Day 117/10/2011

–Small area estimation -

Time / Duration / Subjects
9.00 - 9.15 / 15’ / Opening
9.15 - 9.30 / 15’ / Unfreezing
9.30 – 10.00 / 30’ / Introduction to small area estimation
This section illustrates the problem of estimation with small sample size
10.00-11.00 / 60’ / Direct Estimates and their variance
Analysis of direct estimates are presented, methods to smooth the sampling variance for presentation of errors are introduced
11.00 - 11.15 / 15’ / Coffee Break /
11.15 - 13.00 / 105’ / Design based SAE methods
Description of design based small area methods is given
13.00 -14.00 / 60’ / Lunch /
14.00 - 16.00 / 120’ / Model based SAE methods
This section illustrates model based small area methods, frequentist approach for point estimation is provided, (EBLUP), estimation of MSE is shown
16.00 - 16.15 / 15’ / Coffee break /
16.15 - 17.15 / 60’ / Model based methods (contd)
17.15 - 17.30 / 15’ / Conclusions

Day 2 <18/10/2011

–Small area estimation -

Time / Duration / Subjects
9.00 - 11.00 / 120’ / Model based methods (contd)
This section illustrates model based small area methods, frequentist approach for point estimation is provided, (EBLUP), MSE approximation and estimation of MSEis shown
11.00 - 11.15 / 15’ / Coffee break /
11.15 - 13.00 / 105’ / Software
This section displays open-source available routines for application of methods
13.00 -14.00 / 60’ / Lunch time /
14.00 - 16.00 / 90’ / Quality assessment
Assessment of the model and choice of the models is introduced
16.00 - 16.15 / 15’ / Coffee break /
16.15 - 17.15 / 60’ / Training section
Case studies illustrated (contd)
17.15 - 17.30 / 15’ / Conclusions

Day 3 <19/10/2011

–Small area estimation -

Time / Duration / Subjects
9.00 - 11.00 / 120’ / Extension of the basic models
This section deals with model based estimators based on complex statistical models, taking into account spatial correlation
11.00 - 11.15 / 15’ / Coffee break /
11.15-13.00 / 105’ / Introduction to software
This section displays open-source available routines for application of methods
13.00 -14.00 / 60’ / Lunch time /
14.00 - 16.00 / 120 / Extension of basic models (contd)
In this section generalized linear models are introduced: logistic and Poisson models
16.00 - 16.15 / 15’ / Coffee break /
16.15 - 17.15 / 60’ / Introduction to software
This section displays open-source available routines for application of methods
17.15 - 17.30 / 15’ / Conclusions

Day 4 <20/10/2011>

–Small area estimation -

Time / Duration / Subjects
9.00 - 11.00 / 120’ / Training session
This section is devoted to the application the software routines though exercises or case studies eventually proposed by the students
11.00 - 11.15 / 15’ / Coffee break /
11.15 - 13.00 / 105’ / Training session
This section is devoted to the application the software routines though exercises or case studies eventually proposed by the students
13.00 -14.00 / 60’ / Lunch time /
14.00 - 16.00 / 120’ / Training session
This section is devoted to the application the software routines though exercises or case studies eventually proposed by the students
16.00 - 16.15 / 15’ / Coffee break /
16.15 - 17.15 / 60’ / Training session
This section is devoted to the application the software routines though exercises or case studies eventually proposed by the students
17.15 - 17.30 / 15’ / Conclusions

Application form

Date:17-20 October 2011

Place:Istat

Via Cesare Balbo16

Roma - Italy

Name of first applicant:

Name
Full Address
Email:
Phone:
Fax:

Name of second (optional) applicant:

Name
Full Address
Email:
Phone:
Fax:

Please return this form by e-mail toStefano Falorsi (for any information, phone: +39 06 4673 4133, fax: +39 06 4673 2508).

The following questionnaire should be compiled by each applicant.

Preparatory Questionnaire

Surname and First name
Institution
Department
Field of Activity
Hierarchical position

The present part aims at providing the trainers with detailed information on both background and level of the audience.

1.In your current professional activity, are you working in the:

Production of statistics (as user of methodology)
Development of methodology

2.Which background do you have in small area estimation?

Mainly theoretical experience
Mainly practical experience
Some overview through seminars or reading articles
Neither courses / seminars nor reading articles

3.Statistical background

Unexperienced / Beginner / Expert
1. Sampling theory
2. Linear models
3. Linear mixed model
4. R

4.Present one or two problems, in which you have a personal interest. If you refer to some data, please enclose a short description.

5.Did you receive sufficient description of the programme of the course before registering to judge whether it would be of real use to you?

Yes
No (if so please elaborate)

Essnet on Small Area Estimation