THE 13TH CONFERENCE OF THE IASC-ARS ( IASC-ARS 2025 )

Scientific Activities

THE 13TH CONFERENCE OF THE IASC-ARS ( IASC-ARS 2025 )

From December 4 to 6, 2025, the 13th Conference of the Asian Regional Section of the International Association for Statistical Computing (IASC-ARS) was successfully held at the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH). The conference was co-organized by the Vietnam Institute for Advanced Study in Mathematics (VIASM) and the College of Economics, Law and Government - University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (CELG-UEH), with the coordination and sponsorship of the International Association for Statistical Computing (IASC), the International Statistical Institute (ISI), and the Sydney Vietnam Institute. The event gathered more than 220 scientists, experts, lecturers, and graduate students working in the fields of statistical computing, data science, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and related disciplines, from nearly 20 countries worldwide.

Participants of the Conference

Delivering the opening remarks, Associate Professor Le Minh Ha, Managing Director of VIASM, affirmed that this is the largest international scientific event on statistics in the Asian region, and VIASM is honored to host the conference for the first time in Vietnam. He expressed his hope that this event would mark an important milestone, opening up many new opportunities for future cooperation, strengthening connections and research collaboration between the domestic and international statistical communities, and contributing to enhancing the position of mathematics and related sciences of Vietnam on the international scientific map.

Assoc.Prof. Le Minh Ha, Managing Director of VIASM delivering the opening speech

Professor Donguk Kim, President of IASC-ARS for the 2023-2025 term, also emphasized the increasingly important role of statistics and data science in addressing today's complex data challenges, especially in the context of the rapid development and widespread application of artificial intelligence across many scientific fields and aspects of life. IASC (International Association for Statistical Computing) is an international scientific association under the International Statistical Institute (ISI), established to promote the development of statistical computing, modern statistical methods, and the applications of statistics in data science and information technology. Within the organizational structure of IASC, the Asia Regional Section (ARS) serves as the Asia regional branch, playing a connecting role for the community of statisticians and data scientists in the region, while also providing a forum for regular academic exchange through international scientific conferences held in rotation across Asian countries. The Program Committee and the Organizing Committee of this year's conference included many distinguished scientists such as Professor Ying Chen (National University of Singapore) and Professor Hien Nguyen (La Trobe University, Australia), Co-Chairs of the Program Committee, along with many members from leading universities and research institutes in the United States, Europe, Australia, and Asia. The participation of this experienced organizing and scientific advisory team contributed significantly to ensuring the academic quality and scientific direction of the conference.

Prof. Donguk Kim, President of IASC-ARS, speaking at the Conference

Representing the local host institution, Associate Professor Bui Quang Hung, Vice President of the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City, stated: "IASC-ARS has become one of the most prestigious forums in the region, fostering new research directions in statistics, data analytics, computational science, and AI -- fields that play a crucial role in the current context of deep digital transformation. Hosting the IASC-ARS 2025 Conference therefore not only affirms UEH's academic reputation on the international stage but also contributes to promoting the data and AI research ecosystem in Vietnam. The university believes that the professional exchanges, scientific publications, and networking activities within the framework of the conference will generate practical academic values in the time to come." This event is also one of the meaningful activities marking the 50th anniversary of the establishment and development of UEH, contributing to the construction of a multidisciplinary and sustainable university.

Assoc. Prof. Bui Quang Hung, Vice President of UEH, delivering remarks at the Opening Ceremony

The plenary talks of the conference were delivered by leading experts in research and teaching in statistics, including:

Professor Jianqing Fan, Princeton University, USA: Academician of Academia Sinica, a distinguished expert in financial econometrics, big data, and statistical machine learning, recipient of many prestigious international awards.
Professor Tran Minh Ngoc, The University of Sydney, Australia: A leading researcher in applied probability and statistics in Australia, specializing in Bayesian computation and the integration of quantum computing into data analysisGS.

The Organizing Committee presenting souvenirs to the Program Committee and plenary speakers

Prof. Ying Chen, National University of Singapore, moderating the Plenary Session of the Conference

Prof. Jianqing Fan, Princeton University, USA, delivering the plenary talk
“Classification and Diffusion induced neural density estimators and simulators for generative AI”

Over three working days, IASC-ARS 2025 featured 44 parallel sessions with a total of 169 talks, with the participation of numerous statisticians from around the world, reflecting both the depth and breadth of research topics in statistical computing, machine learning, big data, and applied fields. The presentations covered a wide spectrum of scientific topics, highlighting advanced developments in statistical computing, data science, artificial intelligence, and interdisciplinary applications. Within the program framework, the poster session also attracted active participation from doctoral students, early-career researchers, and emerging research groups, creating an open academic space for professional exchange, direct feedback from experts, and the expansion of international research networks.

Speakers presenting at parallel sessions

Earlier, on December 3, 2025, the mini-course "Selected Topics in Modern Statistics" was organized for PhD students and early-career researchers. This lecture series enabled young researchers to access advanced methods from leading experts worldwide: Professor Rong Chen (Rutgers University) -- Introduction to Nonlinear Time Series: Concepts and Applications; Professor Fabrizio Ruggeri (President of ISI) -- Introduction to Markov Chain Monte Carlo for Bayesian Computation.

Prof. Tran Minh Ngoc, The University of Sydney, Australia, deliver the opening remarks at the tutorial session

At the closing of the conference, the Society of Algorithmic Intelligence (SoAI) presented the SoAI Awards to three scientists:

SoAI Early-Career Research Excellence Award: Kanji Goto, Doshisha University - “Reduced Rank Regression with pcLasso Penalty”;
SoAI Excellence in ASEAN Research Award: Hanqiu Peng, National University of Singapore - “Optimizing Quantum Annealing Schedules with Neural Network Quantum State Digital Twins”
SoAI Women Innovator Award: Nguyen Thi Hoa, National University of Singapore - Optimal Market Making under Model Uncertainty: A Reinforcement Learning Approach.

Assoc. Prof. Ngo Hoang Long, Hanoi National University of Education, presenting the SoAI Women Innovator Award

In addition to the academic program, participants enthusiastically took part in networking and community engagement activities. Highlights included the Gala Dinner and a visit to the Cu Chi Tunnels -- a representative historical site of Vietnam. These social activities provided opportunities for international scholars to explore the depth of Vietnamese culture and history, while strengthening connections among participating scientists.

Gala Dinner Program

Excursion to the Cu Chi Tunnels

The International Conference IASC-ARS 2025 affirmed Vietnam's increasingly prominent position in the fields of statistics and data science, while strengthening academic collaboration networks between domestic and international researchers. It also served as a platform to promote the training of young researchers and support doctoral students and graduate learners in accessing advanced knowledge. The academic exchanges at IASC-ARS 2025 contributed to enhancing national research capacity in artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, and socio-economic modeling. Following this success, IASC-ARS 2026 will be held at Chiang Mai University, Thailand.
With its large scale, rich scientific content, and high level of connectivity, IASC-ARS 2025 affirmed its role as one of the most prominent international scientific events of 2025, leaving a positive impression on both the domestic and international scientific communities.

Some other images from the Conference: