For the first time, a representative from Lithuania – Inga Masiulaitytė-Šukevič, Head of the Methodology and Quality Division of Statistics Lithuania – was elected to the European Master in Official Statistics (EMOS) Committee.

“This is high evaluation of professionalism and competence of our employees at European level. We are proud to contribute to training of professional statisticians in Europe”, - Jūratė Petrauskienė, Director General of Statistics Lithuania, said.

Inga Masiulaitytė-Šukevič has been working at Statistics Lithuania for fifteen years. She started her career in the Living Standard and Employment Statistics Division, later became Head of the Demography and Migration Statistics Division and currently is Head of the Methodology and Quality Division. She completed bachelor’s and master’s degree studies in statistics and doctoral degree studies in physical sciences at Vilnius University.

Inga Masiulaitytė-Šukevič has experience in working with international organisations, and this summer became a member of the EMOS Committee.

 The European Master in Official Statistics (EMOS) is an international network of European producers of statistics and universities which is aimed at training high-level official statistics specialists in Europe. The EMOS Committee, where Inga Masiulaitytė-Šukevič works, evaluates the university master’s degree programmes in the field of statistics according to the set criteria and awards EMOS label to the approved university for four years. The EMOS label ensures that the study programme has been developed together with the producers of official statistics taking into account the changing situation in the labour market. This allows universities to train professionals based on the labour market needs. Upon completion of such studies, the graduates have greater opportunities in terms of employment at the European institutions engaged in official statistics production: Eurostat, the European Statistical System institutions, the European Central Bank, etc.

The EMOS programmes are currently implemented by about 30 universities in 20 European countries. In Lithuania, such programme is not implemented.

EMOS is an example of effecttive cooperation between the scientific community and producers of statistics. EMOS studies allow reducing the gap between theory and practice. The future professionals and students are taught what they really need for work in statistical institutions. EMOS not only adapts study programmes to today’s needs but also organizes various trainings and practice in institutions producing statistics, strives to ensure that the next generation of statisticians has the necessary knowledge and skills.