Accuracy and reliability

Overall accuracy

In connection with the annual reports from the education institutions there is information which also relate to previous years. These delayed notifications concern particularly the last year. See section 5.08.

Sampling error

Not relevant for these statistics.

Non-sampling error

More than 80 pct. of the information comes from administrative sources, such as student systems of educational institutions, which are highly reliable. Other sources are not so closely linked to the education programs and will often be less reliable. Examples of these sources are the surveys of immigrants' education and the population and housing census in 1970, based on self-reported education.

Over the years, several studies have been conducted on immigrants' education at arrival in Denmark. The information about immigrant consist of both self-reported and imputed values. The imputed values ​​can not be regarded as valid information about the educational level of individuals as they result from a statistical model based on other people's self-reported education and characteristics, including country of origin. Because the statistical model used for imputation is uncertain, the imputed information is more uncertain than the self-reported education information. A description of the studies of immigrants 'education at arrival can be seen here: Undersøgelserne (in Danish).

Quality management

Statistics Denmark follows the recommendations on organisation and management of quality given in the Code of Practice for European Statistics (CoP) and the implementation guidelines given in the Quality Assurance Framework of the European Statistical System (QAF). A Working Group on Quality and a central quality assurance function have been established to continuously carry through control of products and processes.

Quality assurance

Statistics Denmark follows the principles in the Code of Practice for European Statistics (CoP) and uses the Quality Assurance Framework of the European Statistical System (QAF) for the implementation of the principles. This involves continuous decentralized and central control of products and processes based on documentation following international standards. The central quality assurance function reports to the Working Group on Quality. Reports include suggestions for improvement that are assessed, decided and subsequently implemented.

Quality assessment

In connection with the production of the register, a number of sources are used which have respectively priority 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Sources with priority 1 are information from administrative sources, eg the student register, where the quality is assessed to be high. These sources account for more than 80 per cent. of the educational information. Sources with priority 2 are self-answered educational information from the Immigration Survey and the Folke & Housing Census, where the quality is considered to be less good. The source of priority 3 is educational information based on an ongoing education in the student register. People with unknown highest completed education that have immigrated to Denmark and started on an education in the student register get the education that is required to start on the education, as their highest completed education. For most programs, admission requirements are clear but there are some artistic programs where it is more uncertain. The source of priority 4 is imputed educational information for people for whom it has not been possible to obtain information in connection with the study of immigrants' education. Imputed values is information that replace unstated values based on experience from similar people. . The imputed data is useful in overall statistical statements, but cannot be considered as valid information on individuals' educational attainment.

The table below shows the use of sources

Data revision - policy

Statistics Denmark revises published figures in accordance with the Revision Policy for Statistics Denmark. The common procedures and principles of the Revision Policy are for some statistics supplemented by a specific revision practice.

Data revision practice

In connection with the annual reports of new educational information, some information goes back in time, especially the previous year. Figures for the past year must therefore be considered provisional.