This TrainForTrade e-learning course on SITS was developed and produced jointly by UNSD, UNCTAD and WTO in close collaboration with the Inter-Agency Task Force on International Trade Statistics. It is run annually.
The objective of the course is to provide more globally accessible and rather complete training material for those involved in the collection, compilation, analysis and dissemination of Statistics of International Trade in Services (SITS). That is, the course is annually organized to meet the needs for technical assistance in the compilation of SITS and contributes to address the aims of Goal 17 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This course was designed mainly for trade data compilers; however, users of trade data can also benefit from the course.
Main goals of the course are to enhance the capacity of trade statisticians to apply the most recent internationally agreed recommendations as contained in the Manual on Statistics of International Trade in Services 2010 (MSITS 2010); to define best possible data sources; to set up or enforce collection systems; and to strengthen statistical production processes. Furthermore, the course would raise awareness of SITS and its concepts, enhance statisticians’ capacity, and help them to better understand the MSITS 2010. In particular, the course focuses on the following topics: Main Concepts, Pre-requisites for Data Collection and Compilation, Data Sources and Collection, Data Compilation, and Dissemination and Analysis. It was designed mainly for trade data compilers; however, users of trade data can also benefit from the course.Â