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On behalf of His Royal Highness Prince Saud bin Mishal bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Governor of Makkah Region, His Highness Prince Saud bin Abdullah bin Jalawi, Governor of Jeddah, inaugurated today the Second Statistical Forum for Universities and Statistical Associations, organized by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) at the Conference Center of the University of Jeddah. The event brought together a distinguished group of experts, specialists, representatives of scientific associations, and academics and researchers in the fields of statistics and data-related sciences.
Upon His Highness’s arrival, the national anthem was played, followed by a recitation from the Holy Qur’an. Then, the President of GASTAT, Fahad Aldossary, delivered a speech emphasizing the vital role of statistics in the national development journey. He noted that the forum serves as a distinguished scientific platform for the exchange of experiences and best practices between academic and professional institutions, contributing to the advancement of research and academic programs, statistical methodologies, and the promotion of statistical innovation through the use of modern technologies and strategic partnerships.
In his speech, Aldossary announced the launch of the “Road to Riyadh” program, which represents the preparatory phase for the Kingdom’s hosting of the Sixth United Nations World Data Forum 2026, scheduled to be held in Riyadh in November 2026. The program aims to raise global awareness of the Kingdom’s pioneering role in the field of statistics and to highlight its efforts in leading digital transformation and developing the statistical ecosystem to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the aspirations of Saudi Vision 2030 toward building a knowledge-based, data-driven economy.

The program will span a full year leading up to the forum and will include workshops, events, and local, regional, and international panel sessions, with the participation of leading experts, institutions, and statistical bodies from around the world. It will also continue beyond the conclusion of the forum to ensure the sustainability of its outcomes, maximize its impact, and solidify its achievements in the long term.
At the conclusion of his speech, Aldossary also announced the launch of the second cycle of the Innovation Lab projects, following the positive results achieved in the first cycle. He emphasized the lab’s role in enabling researchers and specialists to develop innovative statistical projects and solutions that align with the ongoing developments in the statistical community, meet the requirements of Saudi Vision 2030, and contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He also invited researchers and statisticians to apply and participate in this new cycle.
His Highness witnessed the signing of six memoranda of cooperation between GASTAT and the following institutions: King Abdulaziz University, Taif University, King Khalid University, Imam Mohammad ibn Saud Islamic University, the Islamic University of Madinah, and the Saudi Statistical Association.
These cooperation agreements aim to strengthen collaboration, enhance coordination, and integrate efforts within the scope of all parties’ expertise. They also establish an institutional framework for shared activities and tasks, and support the development of institutional capacities in areas of mutual interest. On this occasion, His Highness received a commemorative gift.
This forum comes as part of GASTAT’s ongoing efforts to foster integration with universities and statistical associations, expand strategic and research partnerships, and consolidate the Kingdom’s advanced position in the fields of data, statistics, and indicators. It also reaffirms the Kingdom’s role as a regional and international statistical reference, contributing to measuring progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals and supporting the realization of Saudi Vision 2030.
Following the opening ceremony, the forum’s sessions commenced with a main panel discussion titled “The Role of Universities in Shaping the Future of Statistical Innovation.” The session highlighted the role of universities in developing innovative statistical methodologies, building national capacities, and aligning educational outcomes with sustainable development needs.
The program also featured a series of panel sessions that addressed key topics, including the role of statistics in community development, modern methodologies for improving data quality, ethics in statistical work and data privacy, and best practices of statistical offices in providing data to users.
It is worth noting that the first edition of the forum, organized by GASTAT in 2024, witnessed notable attendance, significant scientific and research contributions, and recommendations that yielded tangible results in the field of statistical work. This year’s edition coincides with the World Statistics Day 2025, observed on October 20 under the theme “Statistics for Sustainable Opportunities.” The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia joins the global community in celebrating this occasion, which is held every five years, reaffirming the importance of official statistics in supporting development and informed decision-making.

  On behalf of His Royal Highness Prince Saud bin Mishal bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Governor of Makkah Region, His Highness Prince Saud bin Abdullah bin Jalawi, Governor of Jeddah, will inaugurate tomorrow the Second Statistical Forum for Universities and Statistical Associations.
The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) organizes the Second Statistical Forum for Universities and Statistical Associations at Jeddah University Conference Center. A distinguished group of experts and specialists, including representatives of scientific associations, as well as academics and researchers in the fields of statistics and data-related sciences, will participate in the forum. The forum is being held this year along with World Statistics Day 2025, which the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia celebrates along with other countries around the world to emphasize the importance of official statistics in supporting development, decision makers, and those involved in shaping developmental and economic policies.
It aims to enhance integration between GASTAT, universities, and Saudi statistical associations, in addition to developing academic programs in the field of statistics to meet the labor market's needs and support national statistics products. It also focuses on empowering students and researchers by facilitating access to data and its sources for use in their research projects, while highlighting opportunities for scientific and research innovation in methodologies through the use of modern technologies.
The forum’s agenda includes a main session titled “Universities’ Contribution to Shaping the Future of Statistical Innovation”, which will highlight the pivotal role academic institutions play in developing innovative statistical methodologies and building national capabilities. The forum will also feature a series of specialized panel discussions addressing a range of topics, including the role of statistics in community development, local and international case studies in utilizing indicators to support public policies, and proposing innovative methodologies to improve the quality of statistical data through advanced technological tools. Additionally, the discussion will cover the ethics of statistical practice and data privacy, and highlight the practices of statistical offices in providing data to beneficiaries.
It is noteworthy that this forum is an extension of the success of the first edition, which GASTAT organized in 2024 and witnessed significant attendance of experts and specialists, and resulted in several scientific recommendations and outcomes. Through hosting such forums, GASTAT seeks to strengthen its strategic partnerships with relevant entities and promote the exchange of expertise across its field of work, contributing to the advancement of the statistical sector in line with the fast-paced global developments.
 

 The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), in collaboration with the Ministry of Education (MoE), launched the second edition of the "Statistical Knowledge" program in public schools. This initiative seeks to prepare the next generation to handle data analysis and comprehension in this information-rich era where knowledge is widespread across all sectors.
Targeting intermediate and secondary school students across various regions of the Kingdom, the program seeks to empower them with a solid foundation in basic statistical and data science concepts. It also aims to enhance their diverse skill sets, train them in research and analysis, and promote critical engagement with various data sources. Ultimately, the goal is to contribute to building an informed society equipped with the knowledge and competencies necessary to extract accurate information from reliable sources and engage effectively with both local and global knowledge sources.
This program is part of a strategic partnership between GASTAT and MoE to raise statistical literacy among students. It emphasizes the practical application of core statistical concepts in daily life and aims to nurture critical thinking and quantitative analysis skills, which ultimately enhances their readiness for advanced education and future careers in science and technology fields demanded by the labor market.
Notably, the "Statistical Knowledge" program includes a range of interactive educational activities designed in a simple and accessible format tailored to the target age group. It introduces students to key statistical and data concepts and their applications in real life, training them to utilize statistics in decision-making processes through a simplified interactive educational competition that blends theoretical knowledge with hands-on application. The competition runs for 10 days, from Sunday, 19 October, to Thursday, 30 October 2025.
The program also features several educational components, such as leveraging school broadcasts to raise awareness about statistical work and its role in socio-economic development. Additionally, leaders and staff from GASTAT will visit schools to deliver enriching and practical sessions covering various statistical knowledge areas.
GASTAT has shared the link to participate in the competition and other program activities via its official platforms and MoE’s accounts. The participation link is available at: https://www.stats.gov.sa/knowledge-competition.
 

The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) participated in the 43rd meeting of the Permanent Technical Committee for Statistics, held on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, in Muscat, the capital of the Sultanate of Oman. The meeting brought together representatives of Arab statistical offices and specialized organizations with the aim of strengthening Arab cooperation and promoting the exchange of expertise and information in the field of statistics.
The delegation of GASTAT was headed by the President of GASTAT, Fahad Aldossari. The meeting discussed several key items on the agenda, including the follow-up on the implementation of the recommendations of the previous meeting, the review of the statistical activities of Arab offices for 2025, and the reports and recommendations of the specialized subcommittees. The meeting also discussed the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 indicators and the latest developments in the use of modern technologies in statistical work, in addition to the 2026 work program of the Statistics and Information Databases Department.
It is worth noting that the Permanent Technical Committee for Statistics is one of the leading Arab committees specialized in the field of statistics. It plays a key role in developing Arab statistical capacities and coordinating efforts between national offices and regional and international organizations in support of advancing joint Arab statistical work.