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ARISA Final Conference
About the conference
đź“… 26 March 2026 | 14:30
đź“Ť Blankspace, Rue d’Arlon 80, Brussels (the event will also be livestreamed)
The EU-funded ARISA (Artificial Intelligence Skills Alliance) project has worked over four years (2022–2026) to fast-track the upskilling and reskilling in AI-related roles including business leaders, technology practitioners, policymakers, and decision makers – addressing critical skills shortages that limit the adoption of AI technologies across industries and sectors.
Research shows that lack of AI skills remains one of the biggest barriers to AI adoption in organisations throughout Europe. ARISA has tackled this gap through the development of an AI Skills Strategy for Europe, context-specific curricula, learning programmes, and certification methods designed to equip learners with practical, human-centred AI competencies.
As the project approaches its final phase marked by the piloting of learning programmes and broader uptake of project results, the final conference offers a platform to share insights, demonstrate impact, and catalyse further cooperation among stakeholders across Europe.
At this event, participants will gain a deeper understanding of the ARISA project, best practices, ARISA Academy courses, and other key outcomes. Partners will present their piloting results, experiences at universities, feedback from learners. The final conference will provide actionable insights, practical examples, and strategic recommendations to inform future policy initiatives and foster more agile, inclusive, and responsive AI skills ecosystems across Europe.
Agenda
14:00 – 14:30 Registration & welcome coffee
14:30 – 14:50 Opening: Why ARISA and why AI skills are Europe’s strategic imperative?
Alexia Papadimitriou, Senior Research & Innovation Manager, DIGITALEUROPE & ARISA Project Coordinator
14:50 – 15:30 Panel discussion: From AI literacy to AI deployment: operationalising the AI Act across Europe
EU AI Office (TBC); Orestis Trasanidis, Head of EIT AI & Robotics Community, 28DIGITAL; Julien Chasserieau, Associate Director for AI & Data Policy, DIGITALEUROPE; Mateja Pucihar Baebler, Consultant, ICT Association of Slovenia; Moderator: Loredana Bucseneanu, AI Project Manager, European Digital SME Alliance & Lead for ARISA long-term sustainability
How do we move from fragmented AI initiatives to a coherent European AI Skills ecosystem? This panel will explore how Europe can translate AI literacy ambitions into concrete deployment and compliance practices. Discussions will focus on Article 4 of the AI Act and the implications of the Omnibus changes, the need for EU-level AI literacy guidance, and the balance between voluntary principles and stronger Member State coordination.
Panelists will also examine the role of the Digital Competence Framework revision, the AI Skills Academy, national initiatives such as the Slovenian AI Competence Centre, and the practical needs of industry and SMEs.
15:30 – 15:50 Coffee break
15:50 – 16:10 ARISA in action: From Strategy to Implementation, what has been built?
Ran Zhang, Researcher, Organizations in Digital Transition, HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht & Co-author of the AI Skills Strategy for Europe
How do we turn AI skills strategies into real-world impact? This session offers an inside look at how the ARISA AI Skills Strategy has moved from concept to concrete action across Europe.
16:10-16:40 Impact spotlight: From Blueprint to practice: results from the ARISA pilots
ARISA Project Partners (TBC); Moderator: Wiktoria Orłowska, Senior Communications Manager, DIGITALEUROPE & Communications and Dissemination Lead for the ARISA project
In this session, representatives of the ARISA project partners will showcase how they piloted ARISA learning programmes across Europe, turning the project’s blueprint into practice.
16:40 – 17:20 Impact spotlight: Standardisation and recognition
Wanda Saabeel – Chair, CEN Workshop Agreement A.I. Role Profiles and Educational Profiles; Suzanne Galletly, Digital Skills Director, EXIN; UNE – Spanish Association for Standardization (TBC)
As AI adoption accelerates, how do we ensure that skills are recognised, comparable, and trusted across Europe Participants will gain insights into the CEN Workshop Agreement developed within the project, including AI role profiles and educational profiles designed to bring greater clarity and alignment to the AI skills landscape.
17:20 – 17:30 Closing remarks – Sustainability of the ARISA project
The conference will conclude with forward-looking reflections and an interactive discussion on sustaining and scaling ARISA’s results beyond the project’s lifetime.
17:30 – 19:30 Networking & drinks
