The 12th European Conference on Quality in Official Statistics is open

The Croatian Bureau of Statistics hosts a prestigious international conference on quality

The 12th European Conference on Quality in Official Statistics, organised jointly by the Croatian Bureau of Statistics and Eurostat, has opened in Šibenik. The conference is being held from 3 to 5 June under the patronage of the Government of the Republic of Croatia.

The biennial event, also known as the “Q-Conference”, brings together leading experts from the world of statistics and representatives of national statistical offices, the academic community and international organisations. It is a platform for the exchange of knowledge, experiences and ideas about the future of official statistics.


This year’s edition has attracted great interest, with around 400 registered participants from more than 70 countries, and a programme that includes a total of 49 sessions. The central topic of the 2026 conference - “Official Statistics: Enhancing Trust, Shaping the Future” - focuses on the importance of quality and reliable statistical data in a time of rapid social and technological changes.

“This year marks the 25th anniversary of the first Conference on Quality. This means a quarter of a century of continuous work, cooperation and joint reflection on improving quality in official statistics. During these years, we have built a system based on trust in official statistics, its objectivity, impartiality, relevance and reliability - a system that provides consistent, comparable data over time, but also a system that is constantly improving and shaping the future of official statistics,” emphasised Lidija Brković, Director-General of the Croatian Bureau of Statistics, in her introductory speech.
 

“Throughout a quarter of a century, the Conference on Quality in Official Statistics has turned into an ‘institution’. It has driven the development of European official statistics along their most important feature: quality in all its dimensions - comparability, relevance, timeliness, accuracy and accessibility. It has provided a forum for the exchange of ideas and experiences, for inspiring innovations and forging partnerships, with one single goal - the continuous improvement of the quality of European official statistics,” Mariana Kotzeva, the Director-General of Eurostat, highlighted in her opening address.
 

“The quality of statistical processes, which will be discussed a lot these days, is not only a professional standard, it is the basis of trust in institutions and research, and the basis for making decisions important for the economy and society as a whole," said Stipe Župan, State Secretary at the Croatian Ministry of Finance.

The professional part of the conference opened with a keynote lecture by Joakim Stymne, a member of the Council for Statistics Norway, the former Director-General of Statistics Sweden, and the newest member of the European Statistical Governance Advisory Board (ESGAB). Mr. Stymne spoke about the importance of the professional independence of national statistical offices and Eurostat as the foundation of trust in official statistics.


On the second day of the conference, a keynote presentation will be delivered by Predrag Pale, a pioneer of the internet in Croatia and a long-time professor at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing of the University of Zagreb. Prof. Pale will speak about the role of artificial intelligence in shaping the future of official statistics.

In the following days, participants can expect a rich programme with discussions and presentations on current challenges in official statistics - from artificial intelligence and machine learning, to new data sources and strengthening trust in statistical systems.

In addition to the professional programme, participants will also have the opportunity to socialise in a less formal environment in the Q Networking Corner, where they can try their hand at the QX game and interactive Q-cards. The special visual identity of this year's conference is inspired by a traditional symbol of the host city - the Šibenik cap, whose recognisable orange colour is also marking the twelfth edition of the European Conference on Quality in Official Statistics.


The conference in Šibenik affirms the importance of international cooperation in shaping official statistics that respond to the needs of modern society.

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