The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Institute for Statistics (UIS) is the official and trusted source of internationally-comparable data on education, science, culture and communication. As the official statistical agency of UNESCO, the UIS produces a wide range of indicators in UNESCO’s fields of action by working with national statistical offices, line ministries and other statistical organizations. The UIS Director serves as the Organization’s chief statistician.
The UIS is leading the development of the new indicators, statistical approaches and monitoring tools needed to better assess progress towards SDG 4 – Education 2030 and key targets in science and innovation, culture, and communication. This work involves close consultation with partners, notably countries, development agencies, technical organizations, donors and civil society groups.
The UIS is the only UN body that produces cross-nationally comparative data for countries at all stages of development in the fields of education; science, technology and innovation; and culture and communication, in order to provide a global perspective in its fields of competence.
UIS data are widely used by Governments, the UN system, as well as inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations, donors, research institutes, universities and citizens engaged in global issues.
The UIS is the official source of data to monitor SDG 4 (Education) and key targets in Science (SDG 9.5), Culture (SDG 11.4), and Communication (SDG 16.10).
Priorities as a partner of the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data
Without valid, reliable, and timely data, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will remain just that – a set of goals. In response, the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) is committed to helping countries build strong national data eco-systems by offering a range of services with partners: to improve the collection, production, dissemination and use of data for evidence-based policymaking; and to organize communities of practice to develop and test frameworks, methodologies, standards and indicators to monitor progress towards the new development targets.
As the primary source of education data, it will leverage its unique experience to develop new frameworks and indicators to monitor issues related to equity, learning and education finance through close consultation with partners at the national, regional and global levels.