12/06/2026 12:45:00

Central Bank of Malta collaborates in the ISI Regional Statistics Conference 2026 and related short courses

The Central Bank of Malta (the 'Bank'), in collaboration with the International Statistical Institute (ISI) and the University of Malta, organised two specialised short courses¹ as part of the 5th ISI Regional Statistics Conference (RSC)² and also contributed to the main Conference through a series of presentations. This marks the first time the conference is being hosted in Malta, as well as its inaugural edition in Europe.

The short courses were held on 2 June 2026, ahead of the main conference which took place from 3 to 5 June 2026 at the University of Malta Valletta Campus. The ISI RSC brings together statisticians, data scientists, researchers, and policymakers from across the globe to discuss recent developments in statistics, data science, and artificial intelligence.

The courses organised by the Bank, in collaboration with the University of Malta, focused on:

• Neural Networks and Deep Learning³
• Handling High-Dimensional and Infinite-Dimensional Data⁴

These sessions explored advanced statistical and machine learning techniques, combining theoretical foundations with practical applications relevant to modern data analysis.  Various participants attended the courses, including members of staff from the Bank. The sessions formed part of a broader programme of five short courses offered alongside the conference, aimed at enhancing technical and analytical capabilities among professionals working in statistics and data science.

The conference programme featured invited and contributed paper sessions covering a wide range of topics, including official statistics, artificial intelligence, data governance, and statistical innovation. The event highlighted the increasing importance of data-driven decision-making and emerging technologies in forming policy and supporting research.

The Bank contributed to the conference programme by participating in two Invited Paper Sessions. The first, entitled "Integrative Forecasting Frameworks: Statistical Adaptive and AI-Driven Approaches",⁵ comprised four presentations delivered by staff from the Bank's Economics Research Department, Macroprudential Policy, Stress Testing and Research Department, Financial Stability Surveillance and Risk Assessment Department, and the Statistics Department. The second, a Special Invited Paper Session entitled "Modern Methods for Smarter Data: From Metadata to Data Quality Techniques in Central Bank Statistics",⁶ featured three presentations delivered by staff from the Statistics Department. In addition, a Bank representative delivered a presentation in the Invited Paper Session "Using AI to Strengthen Data Governance",⁷ organised by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), further showcasing the Bank's expertise and active engagement in advancing the use of innovative methodologies and technologies in central banking and official statistics.

The participation of the Central Bank of Malta in this event aligns with the Bank's strategy to further strengthen data and statistical literacy, as well as to support statistical research at the highest level. 

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¹ Programme | ISI

² Coordinated on behalf of the Bank by Mr Jesmond Pule and Ms Karen Caruana.

³ Delivered by Dr Konstantinos Makantasis (University of Malta's Department of Artificial Intelligence), Mr Bilal Kurban and Ms Roxanne Spiteri.

⁴ Delivered by Dr Monique Borg Inguanez (University of Malta's Department of Statistics & Operations Research), Prof. David Paul Suda (University of Malta's Department of Statistics & Operations Research), Dr Fabio Pisano and Mr Mohamed Yagob.

⁵ The session was chaired by Mr Alan Cassar and the presentations were delivered by Ms Sarah Spiteri, Mr Matteo Panfilo, Mr Mohammed Yagob and Ms Roxanne Spiteri.

⁶ The session was chaired by Ms Karen Caruana and the presentations were delivered by Mr Ibrahim Cagan Kaya, Ms Sarah Axiaq and Ms Giulia Maria Tabone.

⁷ A presentation was delivered by Mr Bilal Kurban.

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