Boost Your Skills with ESS Data Skills 2026! 

The Essex Summer School (ESS) Professional Development programme offers a dynamic series of Data Skills courses designed to equip professionals with the practical tools and confidence to work effectively with data. Building on the success of last year’s programme, our courses provide flexible, high-quality training tailored to the needs of today’s data-driven workplaces.

This year’s programme is structured into course clusters, each comprising of three intensive modules. Each module can be taken individually as part of a bespoke three-module cluster. To support busy schedules, sessions are available both in-person and online, allowing participants to choose the format that best suits their needs.

Our approach is highly interactive and practice-oriented. Through hands-on exercises and work with real datasets, participants will strengthen their analytical capabilities and build practical skills that support data-informed decision-making in their organisations. Whether you are looking to refresh core techniques or deepen your expertise, the ESS Data Skills courses provide a structured and flexible pathway for professional growth.

Why Take These Courses?

    • Build Practical Data Confidence: Strengthen your ability to work with, analyse, and interpret data through hands-on exercises.

    • Designed for Professionals: Developed with feedback provided by public sector partners, the courses focus on applied skills that translate directly to workplace challenges and data-informed decision-making.

    • Expert Teaching: Delivered by experienced academics from the University of Essex, with a strong track record in quantitative training.

    • Flexible Pathways: Enrol in individual two-day modules or complete a three-module cluster – choosing the level of commitment that suits your goals and schedule.

Course Schedule 

May 2026
1. Introduction to R and Basic Data Analysis (taught by Dr Rabia Malik)

Module 1: 5, 6, 7, 8 May, 10:00 – 13:00
Module 2: 12, 13, 14, 15 May, 10:00 – 13:00
Module 3: 19, 20, 21, 22 May, 10:00 – 13:00

2. Data Storytelling: Making Numbers Matter (taught by Dr Allyson Benton)

Module 1: 5, 6, 7, 8 May, 14:00 – 17:00
Module 2: 12, 13, 14, 15 May, 14:00 – 17:00
Module 3: 19, 20, 21, 22 May, 14:00 – 17:00

Coming Soon! 
Data Analysis and Visualisation in R 
Survey Design and Analysis for Policy Analysis 
AI Literacy: Data Analysis with Large Language Models 

Course Fees

First module taken: £500
Additional modules: £350
A full course, which includes a cluster of three modules: £1200

A mix and match of modules is accepted.

Further queries should be directed to essexsummerschoolssda@essex.ac.uk