The fantastic amounts of data made available by modern information systems is creating more demand for specialists able to analyse and interpret them - specialists who can present their conclusions in an understandable form, thereby allowing decision-makers to have a clearer view of their increasingly complex environment.

Statisticians have a vital function in every field of activity, since they are able to build models, construct simulations and process the data produced by internal and external information systems. Both administrations and corporations rely on their statistics departments to make decisions, since so many parameters are likely to influence the outcome of strategic choices. Insurance companies are among the foremost users of statistics, but many other industries rely on the new techniques afforded by the development of data warehouses, data mining and the Internet. Experts trained in statistics guarantee the safety and reliability of industrial processes, and the quality and robustness of data used for marketing and surveys. The banking industry has also come to realise that finance experts originally trained in statistics are best equipped to estimate the prices of complex financial products or to advise investors on portfolio management issues.

Increasing Demand

The demand for statisticians is increasing daily, yet the number of graduates in this field is still quite restricted, partly because such expertise can only be developed over several years of high-level studies. Training statisticians involves giving them a firm grounding in mathematics to support the study of probability and statistics, stochastic processes and computing, and to provide an understanding of mathematical modelling. Statisticians are generally also trained in economics and finance, since often they will go on to careers in these fields. Most courses also focus on the development of communication skills; a statistician's job generally involves transmitting the results of complex analyses to the layman.

Statistical History

France has a strong tradition of public statistics, going back to the time of King Louis XXIV and the birth of the centralised state. The French public statistical system is one of the most comprehensive and effective in the world, employing approximately 10,000 people who either work for the National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE) or in one of the various statistical departments hosted by ministries and central administrations. The INSEE is known for its emphasis on economic and social studies, providing the state and the public with a vast array of regular reports on the state of the economy and of French society in general.

When the INSEE was founded, shortly after the end of World War II, it immediately became necessary to provide training for its executives and administrators. This led to the creation of the ENSAE, the "Ecole nationale de la statistique et de l'administration économique", based in Paris. The ENSAE belongs to the select group of French institutions of higher learning known as the "Grandes Ecoles" [link to Grandes Ecoles article], where admission is highly competitive. Students are selected after having completed graduate and undergraduate programs in mathematics, economics and/or engineering or management.

The ENSAE's teaching staff includes some of the country's foremost specialists in their fields. It provides students with advanced training in statistics, finance and economics. Students are required to carry out two internships during the course of their studies. The aim of the first is to gain an understanding of the workplace, whereas the second, which lasts ten weeks, is dedicated to the application of techniques learned during their studies.

About 120 students graduate each year from the ENSAE, having completed training comparable to a top-level British Master's Degree in economics and statistics. Every year, fifteen ENSAE students become INSEE administrators.

Graduate Studies

The ENSAE also offers a graduate program in Economics and Statistics, the Mastère. This fifteen-month specialisation program involves 300 hours of taught courses, a work group (3-5 members) supervised by a professional leading to a written report, and a four to six-month work placement. This program is open to students of all nationalities. The ENSAE is planning to extend and internationalise this program: the number of classes in English will increase, and each course will enable students to gain ECTS credits. Successful students will be awarded a Master of Science (MSc).

Two-thirds of ENSAE graduates join banks or insurance companies; the remaining third occupy government positions or hold research posts in universities. Most of them sign their employment contracts before they leave, and all are offered excellent starting salaries.

Statistical Specialisations

Since 1994, ENSAI, the "Ecole Nationale de la Statistique et de l'Analyse de l'Information", which used to be part of the ENSAE, was set up as a separate "Grande Ecole" based in Brittany. The ENSAI specializes in statistical engineering, with particular emphasis on bio-statistics, industrial statistics and computer science. Every year, 90 students graduate from ENSAI. Approximately 35 of them go on to work at the INSEE. Another major provider of statisticians is the ISUP, "Institut de Statistique des Universités de Paris", which trains about 50 students per year. The ISUP specialises in actuarial studies, biostatistics and statistics applied to industry and services. Based in Paris, it is the oldest university department devoted to the teaching of statistics: it was founded in 1922. ISFA, an institute based in Villeurbanne, belongs to the University of Lyon, and specialises in the training of actuaries.

Admission to both institutes is selective. Many French universities include statistics in their curricula, but only a handful offer solid training dedicated to statistics. These include Université Paris-Dauphine's MASS degree, an excellent Master in Economics, Statistics and Computer Science. Graduate programs (DESS and DEA) can also be found in Paris, Toulouse, Lyon, Grenoble and Rennes.

Executive Training

Statistics are omnipresent in our daily life and in the workplace, yet companies often find it difficult to hire executives with the appropriate expertise to collect and interpret data, or financial specialists who master the complex quantitative methods necessary to face the ever-changing corporate world. France offers some of the best institutions to train such executives, giving students from abroad an opportunity to gain an international profile as well as cutting-edge skills.

 

Author:
Chantal Schutz
ENSAE