Welcome Message

I am eagerly waiting to welcome you to Tallinn for the 109^th DGINS conference and I am looking forward to chart together some new frontiers of official statistics. We embark on a journey of exploration, innovation, and collaboration – a journey that investigates the opportunities for securing the relevance and usability of official statistics for years to come.

Official statistics have never existed in isolation, but now more than ever the hasty evolution of the data ecosystem calls us to review our own role in a governance system of a country and the value we provide to the public. There are already numerous examples where new data services integrate with traditional ones, enriching the overall data ecosystem, contributing to more efficient evidence-based decision-making, policy formulation, and societal progress. At the same, the digital era has transformed data collection, processing, and dissemination – and whereas it is vital to adapt to technological advancements and evolving data sources, no compromises can be made in maintaining data quality and privacy. Exciting developments come with new complex challenges where our collective efforts are more needed than ever. And this is something we will address at the DGINS conference in Tallinn.

DGINS 2024 will provide a valuable platform for “blue sky” type of discussions about new opportunities, and for sharing practical experience, challenges, and lessons learned in adapting to the evolving roles and tasks of national statistical institutes and of the European Statistical System. I hope that you will be able to take part in the conference and that the conference will manage to inspire you, spark your curiosity, and maybe even challenge some assumptions – all for the benefit of providing highest-quality statistics and data services to European citizens. Furthermore, the open session addressing stakeholder needs and expectations will be an excellent opportunity to introduce to the staff of our organisations the strong commitment of the European statistical community to improving our stakeholder relations and quality of our products and services.

My team and I are excited to welcome you to Tallinn in October – the month of shifting seasons. And although the weather in October might surprise us with sudden showers or unexpected sunshine, we are confident that the warmth of Estonian hospitality will shine through!

Urmet Lee, Director General of Statistics Estonia

Photo: Kristiin Kõosalu