European Statistics Competition in Belgium: and the winners are...

The winners of the final phase of the European Statistics Competition in Belgium were announced during an online award ceremony. In the last part of the Competition, nine teams from the second and third degrees of secondary education made a short video on the theme ‘Young people in Europe”, using official statistics.

A public choice award and a jury award are handed out for both the second and third degrees.

The winners for the second degree of secondary education are:

• Jury award: team Nilgadries from the European School Brussels IV from municipality Laeken:
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzyCWb7yRyg
• Public choice award: team √SNOR from school Sint-Norbertusinstituut from municipality Duffel:
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiBOMwwEuwk

The winners for the third degree of secondary education are:

• Jury award: team Schuwoman from school Collège Notre-Dame des Trois Vallées, site Notre-Dame Des Anges from municipality Genval:
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oo-aX7CX54
• Public choice award: team Groep3IW6 from school Gemeentelijke Technische en Beroepsschool Merchtem (GTSM) from municipality Merchtem:
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECpV7DIq8Bo

The four winning teams can submit their video for the European finale, competing with fellow students from other European countries. The teams also win a trophy and a gift voucher. Because these videos were produced in the difficult circumstances of the coronavirus crisis and lockdown in Belgium, every participating team will also receive a gift voucher.

First public choice award

It was the first time that the general public could also vote for its favourite video. 3.394 votes were cast for the videos.

National jury

A national jury of experts in statistics and communication decided on the jury award. The composition of the national jury is the following:

• Ann Carton, senior adviser, Statistiek Vlaanderen
• Gentiane Haesbroeck, teacher in statistics, University of Liège
• Jonas Krott, statistical partner, German-speaking Community
• Cedric Petit, data journalist, Le Soir
• Fabienne Meijer, data journalist, VRT
• Nicolas Duriau, expert in communication, Statbel
• Lars van Bourgognie, outgoing president of the European Youth Parliament - Belgium

European Statistics Competition in Belgium: figures

The European Statistics Competition was organised this school year for the second time in secondary schools in Belgium. The organisation is in the hands of Statbel, the Belgian statistical office, in collaboration with Iweps, Statistiek Vlaanderen, the Agentschap Onderwijs and the Agentschap Economie, Wetenschap en Innovatie.

Some figures from the second edition in a row:

• 303 teams from the second and third degrees of secondary education participated in the first phase. A team was composed of 1 to 3 students, supervised by a teacher. A total of more than 800 students from secondary education participated. In the first round, they had to answer three online questionnaires, to test their theoretical knowledge of statistical concepts but also their understanding of statistical publications.
• 117 teams participated to the second round where they received a set of micro data. The teams studied the micro data, and presented their conclusions in a short presentation. Statisticians and regional juries evaluated the presentations, and 11 teams remained for the last round.
• The planning of the Competition was adapted to the coronavirus crisis. The third phase had just begun when the schools closed, and the teams had just received the theme on which they had to produce a video. The teams were given more time to produce their video, and we insisted that they respect all hygiene and social distancing measures. Finally, 9 teams decided to continue.

European Statistics Competition in Belgium: figures

The European Statistics Competition was also organised in other countries:

• 17 European countries participated: besides Belgium, also Spain, Slovenia, Portugal, Poland, Norway, Lithuania, Greece, France, Finland, Estonia, Cyprus, Croatia, Ireland, Italy, Hungary and Bulgaria.
• In total, 4,662 teams were registered, i.e. 17,614 students over all countries.
• The four Belgian winners of the Statistics Competition submit their video for the European finale. A European jury will evaluate the videos submitted and will announce a winner for the second and a winner for the third degree of secondary education at the beginning of September.
• Due to the coronavirus crisis and the closure of schools in many European countries, not all countries will be able to complete the Statistics Competition this school year.

New edition in the school year 2020-2021

There will also be a European Statistics Competition in the school year 2020-2021, and Belgium will participate. If you wish to be the first to know the registration dates, you can subscribe to our newsletter.

All videos can be watched via the Facebook page of the Statistics Competition

This is the complete overview of all teams and their place in the finals: