2022 FOREWORD
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A message from the ISI President and ISI Director
In the first quarter of 2022, the world started to open up after the global pandemic. During 2022, we were happy to meet each other again in-person and connect with each other as we were used to.
2022 will be remembered as a year of renewal, reconnection, and transformation that sets the stage for a brighter future.
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Although ISI held no face-to-face conferences in 2022, that was the year when more detailed plans were put in place for the first such World Statistics Congress to be held in Ottawa in July 2023. — Stephen Penneck, ISI President
A message from ISI President, Stephen Penneck
We chose the theme of 'Transformation' for this report because, in many ways, 2022 was a transitional year for ISI, as we began to make substantial progress in increasing our public voice, encouraging statistical communication and networking, developing statistical capacity, and securing our financial sustainability.
Stephen Penneck, ISI President
2022 was the first full year following the relaxation of COVID restrictions, when people were again able to travel, and face to face meetings resumed. Although ISI held no face-to-face conferences in 2022, that was the year when more detailed plans were put in place for the first such World Statistics Congress (WSC) to be held in Ottawa in July 2023.
A new website was procured - which will be used for all future conferences - registration opened in November, and the promotional video was launched. COVID has led to major changes in how development resources are distributed, and we continued to work with the World Bank and other funders, following the ending of the previous WB arrangements, to enable delegates from developing countries to travel to conferences.
The transformation is also evident in our new recently launched website, which uses more visuals and is easier to use. The aim is to attract more casual browsers, rather than focusing mainly on our membership. One of the most exciting aspects is the new ‘Communities’ facility which enables our Associations, Interest Groups and Committees, and indeed all our members to network and share information. It will form the basis for setting up more regional networks of members. Our public voice was also strengthened through the new series of Regional Webinars, tackling issues of interest to the regions and dealing with the ‘time zone’ problem.
A new website was procured - which will be used for all future conferences - registration opened in November, and the promotional video was launched. COVID has led to major changes in how development resources are distributed, and we continued to work with the World Bank and other funders, following the ending of the previous WB arrangements, to enable delegates from developing countries to travel to conferences.
The transformation is also evident in our new recently launched website, which uses more visuals and is easier to use. The aim is to attract more casual browsers, rather than focusing mainly on our membership. One of the most exciting aspects is the new ‘Communities’ facility which enables our Associations, Interest Groups and Committees, and indeed all our members to network and share information. It will form the basis for setting up more regional networks of members. Our public voice was also strengthened through the new series of Regional Webinars, tackling issues of interest to the regions and dealing with the ‘time zone’ problem.
The transformation began last year, will help us deliver our priorities into the future.
The groundwork was laid in 2022 for a transformation of our statistical capacity building activity. The Capacity Building Committee has reviewed our current activities and developed plans which will make significant contributions in statistical learning, literacy, knowledge sharing and co-ordination, and support for statistical communities and statistical independence
This work will need external funding to have impact. During 2022, we had to face a difficult issue following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. We put out a statement suspending our activities in Russia for the time being.
We continued to be active in the field of professional ethics, remaining concerned about the continued prosecution of Andreas Georgiou and of the government of El Salvador, Fiji, and Turkey. And the final transition I want to mention is that we said goodbye to Ada, who had been with us as ISI Director for many years, and hello to Conchita, who joined us last July. We all wish them both well.
A message from ISI Director, Conchita Kleijweg
2022 was a Year of Transformation in several ways. Not only did Ada van Krimpen, the former ISI Director retire and did I start as the new ISI Director, and not only did we enter the ‘after Corona’ time frame, the ISI also discussed how we can strengthen the strategic priorities and grow our impact. Because the world is changing, as always.
Conchita Kleijweg, ISI Director
Data science, AI and Machine Learning are entering our world. Hybrid and online working and collaboration is the new reality. Young people’s commitment towards ISI and ISI’s Associations membership needs an impulse and organizations are evaluating their funding policy.
Like Stephen mentioned, in the post-Corona turmoil the Permanent Office worked on the first in-person World Statistics Congress that is organized by the ISI itself instead of by the host country. This has the advantage that we can profit from the lessons learned of all the previous WSC’s.
We have set up a smooth working Congress Management System of which our Associations and Committees can profit when they organize their own conferences, we have a blue print of a project management plan with a timeline which can be re-used and we have a blueprint of a Communications Plan.
Like Stephen mentioned, in the post-Corona turmoil the Permanent Office worked on the first in-person World Statistics Congress that is organized by the ISI itself instead of by the host country. This has the advantage that we can profit from the lessons learned of all the previous WSC’s.
We have set up a smooth working Congress Management System of which our Associations and Committees can profit when they organize their own conferences, we have a blue print of a project management plan with a timeline which can be re-used and we have a blueprint of a Communications Plan.
All for the purpose of Statistical Science for a Better World.
We have continued our good working relationship with the World Bank, the UN, Eurostat and many other national governments and NGO’s and we see in 2023 that the investment pays off.
We are able to connect our strategic priorities like Capacity Building with the goals of, for example, the World Bank. And this resulted in seed funding in the beginning of 2023 with the purpose of setting up a new strategy for Capacity Building. And this will lead to opening up other funds to support the activities of the ISI, the ISI Associations and its members.
We are able to connect our strategic priorities like Capacity Building with the goals of, for example, the World Bank. And this resulted in seed funding in the beginning of 2023 with the purpose of setting up a new strategy for Capacity Building. And this will lead to opening up other funds to support the activities of the ISI, the ISI Associations and its members.
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One of the results of the membership survey in 2020 was the wish of members to communicate with each other in an easy way and be able to find and reach out to each other. We fulfilled this wish and worked on the creation of a Communities platform,which was launched in April 2023.
The Communities platform is for members only and can be accessed via the ISI website, members can manage their account themselves, start discussions or invite members to join specific discussions or meetings. The Communities platform is going to be used as the platform to share and store information with and for members.
Associations and Committees can use it for planning their meetings and sharing their documents with their members. Because this platform will build a history, it will be so much easier for new board and council members to find documents and understand former decision making.
The Communities platform is for members only and can be accessed via the ISI website, members can manage their account themselves, start discussions or invite members to join specific discussions or meetings. The Communities platform is going to be used as the platform to share and store information with and for members.
Associations and Committees can use it for planning their meetings and sharing their documents with their members. Because this platform will build a history, it will be so much easier for new board and council members to find documents and understand former decision making.
In 2022 we also had our first in-person Executive Committee meetings again. In May in The Hague and in October in Budapest, where we were warmly welcomed by ISI Vice-President Gabriella Vukovich and her team. A report has been shared with the members about the topics that were discussed.
At the end of year we also prepared the UNSC meeting that took place in February 2023 in New York in-person again. That has resulted in a lot of high quality meetings with many follow up discussions, for example on the Regional Statistical Conference that we are jointly organizing with the IAOS and INEGI, the NSO in Mexico, from 15-17 May 2024.
All for the purpose of Statistical Science for a Better World.
At the end of year we also prepared the UNSC meeting that took place in February 2023 in New York in-person again. That has resulted in a lot of high quality meetings with many follow up discussions, for example on the Regional Statistical Conference that we are jointly organizing with the IAOS and INEGI, the NSO in Mexico, from 15-17 May 2024.
All for the purpose of Statistical Science for a Better World.
Since its foundation in 1885, the ISI has upheld the same mission: to foster collaboration among statisticians and data scientists around the world to make statistics more meaningful and impactful.
— Conchita Kleijweg, ISI Director
— Conchita Kleijweg, ISI Director
EC Members
The transformation began last year will help us deliver our priorities into the future.
Finally we were able to meet in person again! In May and October 2022 we held an EC meeting in The Hague and Budapest to discuss and update on Finance, Marketing & Communications, World Statistics Congress, our Strategic Priorities and upcoming meetings like the UNSC meeting in February 2023 in New York. We always meet once a year in the Hague to meet the Permanent Office staff .
In between we have monthly online meetings to share information, discuss and take decisions.
