Digital Skills Summit

Welcome Coffee 

Opening Remarks  

The Importance of Digital Skills in the Modern Economy
Cecilia Bonefeld Dahl, Director General, DIGITALEUROPE 

The opening remarks will underscore how advanced digital skills drive innovation and competitiveness in Europe’s economy. Taking the premises from digital literacy, it will emphasise the importance of integrating digital skills into various sectors, highlighting how these skills can catalyse economic growth, enhance job creation, and ensure the sustainability of European businesses in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.  

Keynote Address   

Digital education and skills: key enablers for advancing European competitiveness and resilience  

Pia Ahrenkilde Hansen, Director General, Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport & Culture, European Commission 

The keynote address explores how advanced digital skills are essential for securing Europe’s leadership in technology. The talk will highlight the importance of this leadership, not only in relation to economic growth but also how digital skills are vital in building resilience against the challenges of disinformation and fake news.  

Panel Discussion 1: Enhancing Defence and Security with Digital Skills  

Building on the keynote themes, this session explores the urgent need for digital skills to strengthen Europe’s defence and security sectors. Experts will discuss practical strategies to leverage advanced digital competencies to counter today’s complex threats, including hybrid and conventional attacks, cybersecurity risks, misinformation, natural disasters, and climate-related challenges. The panel will examine how Europe can swiftly address skill gaps, foster workforce development, and enhance public-private collaboration to ensure the defence sector is fully equipped to meet emerging challenges effectively. 

Panelists:  

• Laura Jiménez Orgaz, Global Head of Cyber GRC, Cybersecurity, Santander 

• Saskia Van Uffelen, Digital Manager, Agoria 

• Luca Tagliaretti, Executive Director, European Cybersecurity Competence Centre and Network 

• Matteo Paonni, Deputy Head of Unit, European Commission, Joint Research Centre 

Moderated by: Constantinos Hadjisavvas, Director for Digital Resilience and Defence, DIGITALEUROPE 

Coffee break

Panel Discussion 2: The European Digital Skills Strategy  

The second panel will concentrate on insights from the European Software Skills Alliance (ESSA), a pan-European initiative committed to enhancing software skills and preparing the European workforce to meet the demands of the digital future. This discussion will feature strategies and best practices for developing and aligning digital skills programs with market needs, current trends, and future developments. 

Panelists: 

• Pilar Roch, Director General, AMETIC 

• Katarzyna Kozioł, Principal Business Developer – Global Education, Amazon Web Services 
• Georgi Dimitrov, Head of Unit Digital Education, European Commission, DG EAC 

Moderated by: Vincenzo Renda, Director for Single Market & Digital Competitiveness, DIGITALEUROPE 

Panel Discussion 3: Leveraging Standards for Consistent Digital Skills Training in Europe 

The third panel addresses the importance of establishing standardised frameworks for digital skills across Europe. The discussion will highlight efforts to harmonise training, certification, and qualification frameworks to maintain relevance and efficacy in the face of rapid technological advancements.  

Panelists:  

• Andreea Gulacsi, Director Policy and External Affairs, CEN CENELEC 

• Wanda Saabeel, Senior education & standardisation expert 

• Emilio Davila Gonzalez, Head of ICT Standardisation Sector, European Commission DG CNECT 

Moderated by: Helena Lovegrove, Senior Director for Operations & Projects, DIGITALEUROPE 

Closing Remarks
Jose Martinez Usero, Director of Projects, DIGITALEUROPE 

Summary of key takeaways   

Future directions and continuous engagement  

Lunch and networking