Page 147 - Contributed Paper Session (CPS) - Volume 7

CPS2049 Mohammed Al Rifai et al.

The quality challenges In the administrative data
Mohammed Al Rifai, Maitha Mohammed Aljunaibi, Dunya Husain Al Khlaifi,
Faisal Saeed Al Shamsi
Statistics Centre - Abu Dhabi, UAE

Abstract
Statistical data and indicators are considered basic decision-support pillars, for
both government and the private sector, in addition to their role in research
centres and universities. The provision of statistical data and indicators that
meet international statistical standards and best practices - characterized by
diversity, convenience and consistency - have become a major challenge for
official statistical agencies. Beside the censuses and sample survey data, many
national statistical agencies and international statistical organizations now
recommend using administrative data collected by their countries’ official
institutions, wherever possible, as sources for the construction of statistical
indicators. As a result, administrative data has become a key source of official
statistics. This paper discusses the quality challenges in the administrative
data, and the role of statistical agencies and official institutions in producing
administrative data to achieve integration in data quality. Further, it discusses
recommended guidelines that statistical agencies should adopt and
institutions should use to ensure the required level of quality in administrative
data.

Keywords
Data Quality; administrative data; official statistics

1. Introduction
As a result from the increasing demand for a wide variety of information
and statistical data to serve decision-makers, planners, and researchers,
statistical data has become a key requirement for building economic, social,
demographic, and other indicators, to evaluate the performance of the
governments and institutions, and prepare programs of economic and social
development. Therefore, there is a need to focus on:
• Building official indicators based on statistical information issued by
a strong, independent and reliable official statistical institution. This
is an essential element for evaluating various achievements of the
Millennium Development Goals.
• Classifying all official statistics according to the best international
standards, to increase their comparability with developed countries.

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