Spaudos centras
Spaudos centras
The International Association for Official Statistics (IAOS) is a global organization bringing together statistical professionals, researchers, and policymakers who seek to improve the quality of official statistics and increase their relevance. The 20th IAOS Conference, taking place in Vilnius on 12–14 May 2026, will convene the international community to discuss the data revolution, innovations, and their impact on modern statistics.
On the eve of the Conference, on 11 May 2026, Vilnius University’s Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics will host a special training course, “Integrating Non-Probability Samples: A Modern Approach to Official Statistics”, focused on advanced data integration methods in official statistics.
During the training, participants will delve into the principles of integrating non‑probability sample data, their practical application, and related methodological challenges. The program includes four thematic sessions covering different data source integration scenarios: from cases where only a non‑probability data source is available to more complex models that integrate multiple independent datasets.
“Data abundance offers official statistics many opportunities, but it also raises new questions related to responsibility. It is important not only to have more data, but also to understand what they represent, which aspects they do not cover, and what impact they may have on the objectivity of statistical indicators. These training sessions help move from initial interest in new data sources to their responsible and methodologically sound application in official statistics”, notes lecturer Dr Andrius Čiginas.
The training will discuss methods such as weighting based on participation probability, doubly robust methods, sequential data integration, and model‑based calibration. Practical examples of applying these methods, related to indicators in tourism, short‑term statistics, population censuses, investment, and the labour market, will also be examined.
Full‑day training will include both theoretical presentations and practical discussions. At the end of the training, participants will be invited to assess how the methods discussed could be applied in the activities of their institutions.
“These training sessions will provide participants not only with theoretical knowledge on how new data sources can be appropriately used in the production of official statistics, but also with the opportunity to become acquainted with the practical application of methods in surveys carried out by the State Data Agency (Statistics Lithuania). Discussing real‑world implementation challenges and ways to address them will help members of the international official statistics community more easily apply the knowledge gained in their work”, notes lecturer Ieva Ramašauskienė.
The training will be delivered by the State Data Agency experts with long‑standing experience in official statistics: Dr Andrius Čiginas, Ieva Ramašauskienė, and Donatas Šlevinskas.
These training sessions are an important part of the 2026 IAOS Conference, offering participants the opportunity not only to learn about the latest methods, but also to apply them in practice, thereby improving data quality and reliability.
