KUALA LUMPUR: For the first time since its inception 130 years ago, Malaysia will host the prestigious biennial International Statistical Institute World Statistics Congress (ISI WSC) 2019 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) from Aug 18 to 23.
The congress is organised by the International Statistical Institute (ISI), in collaboration with the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) and Malaysia Institute of Statistics (ISM), and supported by the Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB), an agency under the Malaysian Tourism and Culture Ministry.
This flagship event of ISI, in its 62nd edition, will see thousands of professionals and experts from the industry, academia and policy makers from around the world converge in Kuala Lumpur to exchange and explore new ideas in statistics and network for future collaboration.
The organisation of this international congress in Malaysia will further strengthen the statistical ecosystem in the country and enhance its inter-linkages with the statistical systems of the world.
A media session was held yesterday at Sasana Kijang, BNM, to create greater awareness and invite more participation from Malaysians and international statistical community to the congress.
ISI WSC 2019 National Organising Committee chairman and chief statistician Malaysia Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin in his opening speech said, “Numbers matter and statistics are essential in all aspects of life, especially in dealing with many current global challenges and economic situations. Statistics is a critical ingredient for all decision makings.
“Great policies, derived from good statistics, will contribute significantly in improving the wellbeing of a person. The presence of technology and abundance of data creates great opportunities, while at the same time poses new challenges to statisticians and researchers.
“Thus, all of us need to embrace new techniques, such as data science and analytics to deal with this new set of data called Big Data.”
The congress has to date attracted more than 1,500 speakers from more than 100 countries to discuss a diverse subjects and various disciplines of statistics, and their usage in the real world.
The topics range from statistical methods and concepts, data compilation and management, technology, data science and analytics, Big Data, and their applications across all segments of the economy and life.
Several pre-congress events such as seminars, workshops, short courses and meetings will be held in Sasana Kijang from Aug 13 to 17.
“The 62nd ISI WSC will again provide a unique and special global statistical meeting full of invigorating and inspiring discussions, advances and connections across all statistics and data science, set in a colourful and rapidly developing environment,” said ISI president Prof Helen MacGillivray during the media questions and answers session.
Mohd Uzir added, “The 62nd ISI WSC 2019 will be beyond just an outcome. It is aimed to be far reaching, and as a platform to create a bigger spectrum to show that statistics matter.
“We are certain that more sharing and communication of statistics will provide better information for our people and the international community.”
Apart from the technical aspect of the congress, the NOC has also lined up a series of social programmes to allow the delegates and visitors to discover and experience the diversity of Malaysia.
In conjunction with the ISI WSC 2019, the World Stats (WSC) Run 2019 is being organised on Aug 18. Extending the theme of “Come, Connect and Create”, the run will provide an avenue for statisticians and public to meet on a common ground to create memorable experiences while running along the amazing landscapes and sceneries of Kuala Lumpur.
To attract both professional and amateur runners, the WSC Run will offer several distances – 21km, 10km and 5km.
For more information on the speaker sessions, exhibitions and other details, visit www.isi2019.org.
