Air University has concluded its two-day 3rd International Conference on Recent Trends in Statistics and Data Analytical Sciences, held together with an AI Tech Expo, bringing together policymakers, academics, researchers, and industry representatives to discuss technological advances and the role of data analytics in economic growth. The event was organised by the university’s Department of Statistics and Data Analytical Sciences (SDAS) and chaired by Dr Ammara Nawaz Cheema, who heads the department. Opening the conference on October 19, she said data needs to be turned into knowledge, innovation, and real-world impact, and urged participants to exchange ideas and form lasting collaborations. The conference series began in May 2024 with a first edition at the Air University campus in Islamabad.
The conference featured several senior national figures. Dr Tahir Noor, Secretary of the Planning Commission, took part, along with Air Marshal (Retd) Abdul Moeed Khan, the university’s Vice Chancellor, Prof Dr Tasawar Hayat, Vice Chancellor of the University of Sargodha, Dr Ghulam Ali Mullah, Chairman of the Inter Boards Coordination Commission, and Prof Dr Muhammad Atif, Dean of the Faculty of Basic and Applied Sciences. Speakers highlighted the importance of using data effectively, statistical analysis, and artificial intelligence (AI) in promoting research, improving how institutions make decisions, and addressing Pakistan’s development challenges. They also stressed that quality data and sound statistical methods are needed for evidence-based policymaking and for the responsible use of AI. A World Statistics Day awareness walk was held as part of the event to promote data literacy and show the role of reliable statistical information in governance and research.
The AI Tech Expo gave the event a practical side. Organisations that took part included the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), Survey of Pakistan, AI Geo Navigators, Helping Hands, and SBS, and they showed data-driven technologies, geospatial intelligence, and applications of AI. The expo let students, researchers, and industry professionals meet, swap ideas, and look at possible collaboration. The presence of PBS and Survey of Pakistan is a reminder that much of the country’s official data and mapping now depends on digital tools, which is why statisticians and data scientists are increasingly in demand in government, finance, and technology. The conference and expo were supported by the Higher Education Commission, the Pakistan Science Foundation, AI Geo Navigators, Helping Hands, Ranchers, Tapal Danedar, and H2Ola.
Organisers also pointed to the department’s industry-oriented graduate programme in statistics and data analytical sciences, which combines statistical thinking, analytical methods, and AI, and said the event showed the need to bring entrepreneurship and applied learning into graduate education. The announcement did not give attendance numbers, the number of papers presented, or any agreements signed at the expo, so its practical impact is hard to measure from the available information. A separate conference with a similar name, the 5th International Conference on Recent Trends in Statistics and Data Analytics, is planned by the School of Natural Sciences at the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) on November 26 and 27, which suggests that Pakistan’s universities are holding more events on data and AI.
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