The Diploma for Social Protection Analysts is an ITCILO initiative to strengthen capacity in social protection. It supports the development of quantitative specialists able to improve the analytical aspects of designing, financing and governing national social protection systems.

The Diploma is built around a selection of social protection courses, offered both online and face-to-face. To earn the "Social Protection Analyst" recognition, participants complete three eligible courses within a five-year period, followed by a capstone project.

The Diploma is designed for officials committed to advancing social protection who already have sound quantitative skills and several years of relevant work experience. Candidates should hold a bachelor's or advanced degree with a strong quantitative background in fields such as public administration, economics, political science, social science, finance, actuarial studies, mathematics or statistics.

Upon earning the Diploma for Social Protection Analysts, successful candidates will:

• Gain cutting-edge quantitative skills in core areas of social protection analysis
• Hold a recognized ITCILO certification demonstrating this achievement
• Join a growing global network of social protection analysts — an ongoing platform for exchange and collaboration

Each of the three chosen courses immerses participants in a rich, intensive and flexible learning programme, ensuring a steep learning curve within an international environment of knowledge exchange. Courses also offer a unique opportunity to build a professional network among social protection experts worldwide.

Each eligible course includes an assessment process that verifies participants have fully grasped the relevant skills and concepts, resulting in a course-specific ITCILO Certificate of Achievement.

To earn the Diploma, participants complete three courses and then undertake a capstone assessment demonstrating their consolidated learning. The capstone assessment is a written assignment applying the analytical approaches from all three completed courses to develop policy recommendations for a specific country context.

The Centre draws on the expertise of the ILO, rooted in 100 years of standard-setting and technical support on social protection.

This experience has produced a deep understanding of how social protection systems can become effective and sustainable over the long term, along with a tried-and-tested set of tools and models that can be adapted to national contexts.

As a leader in international cooperation on social protection, the ILO also gives the Centre access to a worldwide network of expertise spanning the UN system, academia and beyond.

Ready to become an accredited Social Protection Analyst? Start or continue building your Diploma today: choose your next eligible course and take the next step in your leadership journey.