Izabela Grabowska
Her keynote highlights why teaching at European Universities without research is incomplete in the AI era, drawing from her leadership experience in both EUonAIR and Link4Skills. She presents a compelling vision of universities as immersive, AI-driven ecosystems, where learning, innovation, and civic impact converge to prepare learners not just to adapt—but to lead—in a rapidly transforming world.
Educating for a Future We Can’t Predict What the Workforce of Tomorrow Needs And What Universities Can Seed
Speaker: Claudia Feiner
What if our universities were more than places of learning?
What if they became launchpads—for shaping the future we all want to live in?
We are in an age of turbulence. The pace is fast. The rules shift. Technology evolves faster than culture can catch up. In this space of uncertainty, one truth becomes clear: the future cannot be predicted—but it can be shaped.
Employers across sectors are increasingly looking for people who can operate in ambiguity, connect across disciplines, and navigate ethical grey zones with confidence. The professionals of the future won’t be measured by what they know, but by how they think, relate, and respond when the rules change. They’ll need tech fluency and systems thinking—but also curiosity, courage, and moral imagination.
Universities are uniquely placed to plant what matters most: the roots of ethical judgment, the spark of creativity, the courage to care. They can shape environments where people don’t just learn—but grow into who they need to become.
This keynote challenges higher education to shift from being a conveyor belt of answers to becoming active seedbeds for a future-ready workforce and a more resilient society. Rooted in emerging practices from AI literacy, global workforce transformations, and inclusive design thinking, it redefines what it means to prepare students—not for the jobs of today, but for the challenges of tomorrow.
It invites institutions to shift from being knowledge providers to future-makers: planting the mindsets, environments, and human capacities that will allow the next generation to thrive in and shape a world we cannot yet predict.
