Statistical processing
Contact info
Population and Education, Social Statistics.Asger Bromose Langgaard
Get as PDF
The data for the statistics is collected yearly in October from the administrative systems of the educational institutions. Data is adjusted into the format used in the Student Register. In cooperation with the National Agency for It and Learning, Statistics Denmark has set guidelines for this conversion, since the conversion depends on the type of student. Data is validated at both macro and micro level, where fluctuations in the number of students across time are controlled for errors and irregularities at the individual level, for example overlap between educations, are corrected.
Source data
The sources for the statistics are data from the educational institutions' administrative systems.
Frequency of data collection
The statistics are based on information collected once a year.
Data collection
From 2019 the main source for the statistics is data from the National Agency of IT and Learning. The National Agency of IT and Learning collects data from institutions offering vocational education and sends a total dataset to Statistics Denmark. In dialogue with the National Agency of IT and Learning, Statistics Denmark have corrected errors and omissions. This has among other initiatives been done through supplemental data from the administrative system for apprenticeships EASY-P.
Some institutions report through a spreadsheet.
Data validation
The data validation mainly consists of two types of error searching: macro error searching and micro error searching.
Macro error searching consists in searching after fluctuations on four parameters: Population (students per 1 October), Entrants, Completed, and Discontinuations. It is examined whether there are a larger or smaller number of students in each of the categories compared to earlier years. If there are large fluctuations, further investigation is done to find out whether the development is correct or whether it is an error. In contrast to other fields of education, there is no macro error searching at specific educations on specific institutions. This is because of the complexity of the vocational education field and because the fluctuations on vocational educations generally are larger than on other types of education. The macro error searching is therefore only done for the total number of students on specific educations and institutions. If fluctuations are then found, the error searching looks at a more detailed level.
Micro error searching focuses on errors in the data received about specific students. Examples of micro errors could be an invalid education code or the student's start date being after the end date. It is also checked whether the pupils are enrolled on multiple institutions at the same time, since there is not always agreement between the dates provided when the students change institutions. Statistics Denmark corrects the dates or deletes records so the student does not seem to be enrolled on two institutions at the same time.
Data compilation
The data are converted to the format used in the Student Register. Data form the National Agency of It and Learning has been delivered in a format close to the Student Register. However, some conversion is still necessary. Statistics Denmark has set rules for the conversion of data, in cooperation with the National Agency for It and Learning,
Adjustment
No corrections of data are made except what has already been described under Data validation and Data compilation.