Rosstat and Moscow bring together efforts to improve the quality of data used in international rankings
Rosstat and Moscow bring together efforts to improve the quality of data to provide objective information about Moscow and Russia in the international rankings.
“We consistently encounter cases when Russia’s positions in international rankings do not line up with the real state of affairs. The reason is that most international organizations and ranking institutions use unofficial sources of information, expert assessments, or old data. We need to analyze the data used for the calculation of indicators, examine its entire chain, compare with the information we have, and, if necessary, point out inaccuracies.” – Pavel Malkov, Head of Federal State Statistics Service said at the first meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Working Group on International Comparison and Rankings.
Kirill Purtov, Moscow Government Minister and Head of the Department of Economic Policy and Development stated that out of 49 international rankings issued in 2020, Moscow improved its positions in 23 rankings and occupied high positions in 4 out of 7 new rankings. At the same time, the correctness of Moscow’s assessment by a number of authoritative international ratings is questionable. The reason for that is the use by some rankings of invalid data contained in the international databases, which is due to the difference in the methodology of calculating indicators by countries and international organizations, in some cases the use by these organizations of unofficial or performance indicators, as well as technical errors.
“The main task is to cooperate with these databases to ensure that information about Moscow and Russia in general, is up-to-date and correct. Our goal is to have Moscow correctly and objectively represented in the rankings. High positions in rankings contribute to the formation of a positive image of Moscow as a safe, progressive and attractive city for tourism, living and investment. Authoritative ratings allow to compare the dynamics of the city’s development with the largest megacities in the world and, if necessary, adjust development plans,” Kirill Purtov emphasized.
The analysis of methodologies of more than 80 significant international city rankings, carried out by the Analytical Center of Moscow, revealed that country indicators account for about a third of all indicators for the assessment of cities. For that reason, the Moscow Government aims to collaborate with Rosstat, the Russian Ministry of Economic Development and other institutions to ensure a correct and objective representation of Russia and Moscow in international rankings, increase the availability and quality of statistical data and other information about the capital and the country in general at the international level, the Minister noted.
The Inter-Ministerial Working Group on International Comparison and Rankings was created at the end of 2020 and brought together representatives of Rosstat, Moscow’s Department of Economic Policy and Development, Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, Moscow Analytical Center, Center of International Statistical Expertise - Tsentrostat and other relevant authorities and organizations. Within the work of the inter-ministerial group, in the nearest time, it is planned to form a list of the key rankings for regular monitoring and then to interact with their authors and promote the positions of Russia and Moscow.
