The first International Conference on Digital Skills, Innovation, and Professionalism (ICODSIP) took place on November 14-15, 2024, at the Universidad de Alcalá in Spain. Organised by CEPIS together with the University of Alcalá and the Spanish Informatics Assocation (ATI), the conference served as a hub for researchers, educators, and industry leaders to discuss the evolving landscape of digital competencies and the future of professionalism in Europe.
Key highlights included a keynote by Ernestina Mensalvas on “Navigating the 2030 Digital Europe Challenge,” panels on IT professionalism and female talent in tech, and presentations addressing the digital skills gap and the role of AI in education and industry. Collaborative projects like DIGITAL4Business and the European Software Skills Alliance were also presented, showcasing innovative approaches to training and certification.
The conference saw an attendance of more than 50 participants. Affiliations spanned professional associations (7%), industry groups (11.6%), universities (30.2%), government authorities (4.7%), HR/industry (9.3%), freelancers (11.6%), training/project professionals (23.3%), and certification bodies (4.7%). Gender representation was a strong focus, with female participation making up 65% of attendees and 77% of invited speakers and moderators. The programme featured 20 communications and project presentations, three thematic panels, and one networking session on future project proposals.
Members of the CEPIS Digital Skills Policy (DSP) group and other expert groups played significant roles. Luis Fernández chaired the panel on Digital Skills, Mary Cleary led discussions on IT professionalism, and Raquel Lacuesta moderated the panel on Female Talent in IT. Notable collaborations included agreements with Informatics Europe, the European University Foundation, and SCIE.
Participants had the opportunity to explore the historic city of Alcalá de Henares, enjoy cultural events, and network with international peers. Co-located with the annual meeting of CEN/TC 428, the conference further strengthened ties between academia, policy, and industry, emphasizing digital transformation across sectors.
For more details, visit the ICODSIP website.
