IBUG - International Blaise Users Group

The International Blaise User Group (IBUG) is an informal group that brings together people and organisations who use Blaise software in survey data collection and data processing. The purpose of IBUG is to promote the use of the Blaise software and to serve as a forum for discussion and exchange of ideas and experiences. IBUG has a chairman but no other officials. The IBUG was founded at the first International Blaise User Conference (IBUC) in 1992 where Tony Manners (ONS, UK) was selected as the first chairman. The second chairman was Vesa Kuusela of Statistics Finland 2001-2009. The current person chairing the group is Hilde Degerdal of Statistics Norway.

The most visible activity of IBUG is a conference which is organised roughly every 18 months and which currently alternates between Europe and North America. The meeting in 2009 will be the 12th such conference. The first IBUC was held in Voorburg, The Netherlands, in 1992.