National Bank meets with academic community: Cooperation between the National Bank and the academic community to improve knowledge, data and research.

Skopje, 17 February 2024

The National Bank has been actively working on continuous improvement of the statistical function and the overall infrastructure necessary for research activity and informed decision-making. Cooperation with the academic community can improve the research and analysis in the country and enable exchange of knowledge, experience and skills. This was highlighted at the meeting between Governor Anita Angelovska Bezhoska and her team and representatives of the academic community in the country, Academician Ljupco Kocarev, professors Aleksandar Stojkov and Dimitar Kocarev and the representative of the student community, Dimitar Peshevski.

The meeting discussed the possibility to use statistical data, prepared by the central bank, to develop a platform through which the academic community attempts to determine the complexity of export products and services. The purpose of this is to draw conclusions and proposals for policy makers to increase the efficiency and improve the competitive profile of the export sector. The meeting also pointed out the possibilities for specific cooperation between the science community and the central bank in terms of using new technologies, such as machine learning and artificial intelligence in economic analysis, research and for statistical purposes.

The Governor of the National Bank has supported the initiative of the academic community, pointing out its role as a significant partner of the central bank. She highlighted that, in the efforts to achieve the best results in implementing its goals and tasks, the National Bank meets the highest statistical data dissemination standard of the Monetary Fund-SDDS Plus. Furthermore, she pointed out that the central bank has been continuously improving the scope and frequency of statistical data publishing, by using transparency strengthening practices, through regular communication with reporters and statistical data users.

At the meeting, both sides have expressed interest in mutual cooperation and support to specific aspects related to economic data, research and the new technologies in these areas.