In 2020, the International Social Security Association (ISSA)’s Diploma Training Programme shifted to an e-learning format as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Between June and December, 14 online training courses took place, on the different ISSA Guidelines. The ISSA interviewed a trainer and three participants from the course on the ISSA Guidelines on Error, Evasion and Fraud in Social Security Systems. It was provided through the EN3S Digital Campus e-learning platform in late 2020.

Illustrative image (ISSA)

What is your background, and how and when did you become a professional trainer in social security administration at EN3S?

At EN3S, almost 30 years ago now, I caught a bug for which I have still not received a vaccine: the bug for sharing my knowledge of the founding principles, evolution and benefits of social security. I have always set aside time in my career for training, whether on the legal aspects of social security, IT developments in the field or themes relating to social security management.

In parallel, my professional responsibilities led me to the URSSAF, a network of agencies charged with collecting social security contributions in France. I am now the organization’s Regional Director for Champagne-Ardenne.

In your opinion, what are the main benefits of the ISSA’s Diploma Training Programme in terms of participants’ work and career development?

In November and December, we ran a distance-learning course on the ISSA Guidelines on Error, Evasion and Fraud in Social Security Systems. Some of the 20 participants, colleagues from 12 different institutions and 10 different countries, were just starting out in the field and needed a frame of reference. Others were very experienced and needed some time to share. They all really appreciated the opportunity to put their heads together and compare experiences.

Throughout the training course, we met every Thursday afternoon for group classes. We all – trainees and trainers alike – really looked forward to the next session. The trainees established strong links that they plan to maintain going forward through even deeper exchanges. This is already reflected in some very concrete cross-border initiatives.

The ISSA Guidelines on Error, Evasion and Fraud in Social Security Systems are your particular area of expertise. What makes them so interesting for students?

It is difficult to call this a single area as, in actual fact, the battle against error, evasion and fraud (EEF) draws on underlying principles, methods and components that are cross-cutting and common to all branches of social security. I tend to mention one in particular, one that is fundamental and hard to achieve, requiring a whole structure and state-of-the-art information technology to be put in place – namely, the accurate identification and authentication of insured persons and employers.

Our trainees really appreciated the emphasis we placed on the importance of know-how and its transmission, and of measures to counter EEF. Sharing expertise is key to the promotion of social security, reinforcing the compliance of both system beneficiaries and those who finance the system through contributions. We must convince the latter that their money is being put to good use.

What do you think of the current online training course?

What strikes me is the seamless coordination between the package we have developed with the ISSA, based on the guidelines and the training handbook, and its extremely professional roll-out by EN3S. Indeed, the EN3S Digital Campus brings together a wealth of materials for self-directed learning, such as videos, quizzes, keywords and “handy hints”. We have also had one-to-ones with trainees on a number of exercises feeding into their own EEF action development plans, which they will subsequently work on within their institutions. It really is an example of training in action.

The next step will be for institutions to request subject-specific expertise from the ISSA, and maybe even audits to verify how well the guidelines are being applied.

In your view, what is the future of online vocational training courses post COVID-19 compared with face-to-face ones?

Thanks to EN3S and the ISSA, this is the most successful distance-learning programme that I have ever led. Here too, we have become more professional.  I am not, however, of the view that we should move all of our physical training sessions online. The two methods should be used in tandem, as appropriate to the specific context.

They can even be blended. It would be quite conceivable to hold the first stage of a training programme remotely, with the second stage taking place in person, enabling trainees to meet high-level experts and gain field experience. This second stage would also help to strengthen the links that will have started to form during the online sessions. It would serve as a reward for completing the online training, which can be demanding.