The École Nationale de la Statistique et de l’Analyse Économique (ENSAE) is supervised by the ANSD (Agence Nationale de la Statistique et de la Démographie– National Statistics and Demographics Agency) and is ranked in the highest echelon of national professional colleges in Senegal.

Main aims: 

• to train and develop SSN staff to ensure rational and measured management of human resources; to ensure the training of high-level executives for Senegal and for other African countries seeking to draw on the resources of the College, which aims to play a regional role;
• to promote the development of statistical sciences and applied economic research within its scope of influence.
• Specific goals:
• to ensure the training of higher and middle ranking statisticians for SSN, government bodies, public and para-public organisa­tions, the private sector, education and research;
• to ensure the training of high-level quantitative economists in sufficient number for the needs of the public sector, private sector, education and research;
• to ensure the professional development of statisticians and economists employed in the public sector and contribute to the professional development of statisticians and economists in the private sector;
• to conduct research into the statistical methods best suited to the realities of Senegal and other African countries, in close cooperation with other areas of the ANSD;
• to contribute to the promotion and promulgation of a statistical culture.

I. Training

ENSAE-Senegal provides two types of training: initial and on-going training.

1.1 Initial training

1.1.1 Training units

1.1.2 ENSAE Sénégal provides initial training for executive statisticians in three training units.

1. Advanced Statistical Technicians unit (Techniciens Supérieurs de la Statistique (TSS)
Provides professional training mainly concen­trating on the techniques of producing statistical information. The focus is on education in statistical practices. Graduates from this training unit are expected to play a significant role in data collection and the supervision of statistical work.

2. Statistical Engineers unit (Ingénieurs des Travaux Statistiques (ITS)
Trains executive staff with a good command of statistical techniques who are likely to manage statistical production activities and be involved in developing economic programmes.

3. Statistical and Economic Engineers unit (Ingénieurs statisticiens économistes (ISE)
Trains high-level executives with full command of statistical methods and theory and of quantitative economic analysis.

1.1.3 Career prospects

The lack of statisticians currently represents a serious obstacle to the development of the National Statistical System (SSN). As a result, executives trained by ENSAE will be directed, as a matter of priority, to the SSN and in particular the ANSD, and to the statistical services of ministries. They are also expected to become involved in planning services in public, semi-public and private organisations (non-financial companies, banks, insurance companies, investment companies, research companies, international organisations, NGOs, etc.).

2.2 Continuous professional development
Due to the fast-changing nature of technical expertise, ENSAE has a CPD training unit to ensure the enhancement of staff skills in various sectors (companies, public and para-public organisations, etc.). It serves to share knowledge on issues relating to statistics, quantitative economics and data processing. Training modules and training sessions are devised according to requirements.

II. Research

The Research unit is responsible for contributing to the development of research in the fields of statistics, econometrics, economics and demographics, particularly in the design and implementation of statistical methods suited to the realities of African countries in general and Senegal in particular. It works in cooperation with other ANSD units, other parts of SSN and research centres.

Received September 2010