The GSEM has launched a new MOOC on Global Statistics

The Geneva School of Economics and Management has launched a new MOOC on Global Statistics - Composite Indices for International Comparisons.

The number of composite indices that are constructed and used internationally is growing very fast; but whilst the complexity of quantitative techniques has increased dramatically, the education and training in this area has been dragging and lagging behind. As a consequence, these simple numbers, expected to synthesize quite complex issues, are often presented to the public and used in the political debate without proper emphasis on their intrinsic limitations and correct interpretations.

In this course on global statistics, offered by the University of Geneva jointly with the ETH Zürich KOF, you will learn the general approach of constructing composite indices and some of resulting problems. We will discuss the technical properties, the internal structure (like aggregation, weighting, stability of time series), the primary data used and the variable selection methods. These concepts will be illustrated using a sample of the most popular composite indices. We will try to address not only statistical questions but also focus on the distinction between policy-, media- and paradigm-driven indicators.

This course is aimed at people working with composite indices, may it be in local, national, international, public or private institutions including NGOs and international bodies such as international organizations, and people working for the media. It may be of interest as well for students and researchers who wish to understand and use composite indices into their own work.

Registration: May 21 - https://www.coursera.org/learn/global-statistics