ENHANCE Conversations 2024: Shaping Future Skills and Values for Europe
On 23 February 2024, the ENHANCE Alliance hosted a hybrid edition of ENHANCE Conversations at Technische Universität Berlin, bringing together academic leaders and industry experts to discuss the skills and values learners need to address societal challenges and succeed in the future labour market.
The panel explored how European higher education, particularly in STEM fields, can respond to rapid technological change, growing social inequalities, and global competition. Central topics included the role of transversal skills alongside technical expertise, the impact of artificial intelligence on future skills education, and how European values such as democracy, inclusivity, and freedom of expression can be meaningfully embedded in learning and teaching.
Panelists also reflected on Europe’s strengths in skills education, areas where improvement is needed, and how skills training can contribute to addressing gender and social inequalities. A recurring theme was the importance of equipping learners not only with advanced technical knowledge, but also with critical thinking, ethical awareness, and the ability to act responsibly in diverse and international contexts.
The discussion featured contributions from Prof. Ena Voûte (Delft University of Technology), Prof. José Monserrat del Río (Universitat Politècnica de València), Katrin Redmann (SAP Lab Paris), and Dr. Anne Schreiter (German Scholars Organisation), who also hosted the event. The conversation engaged both the on-site audience and online participants via live streaming.
The event reaffirmed ENHANCE’s commitment to advancing a shared European vision for future-oriented, inclusive, and values-based skills education.
About ENHANCE Conversations:
ENHANCE Conversations is the ENHANCE Alliance’s premier forum for interdisciplinary exchange. Each edition brings together experts from academia, industry, policymaking and society to debate key issues shaping the future of higher education and innovation in Europe. Past editions have addressed topics such as higher education transformation, future skills, and the impact of AI on diversity, equity and inclusion, with notable participants including Dr François Lelord, best-selling author of Il était une fois une planète bleue; Dr Natascha Eckert, Global Head of University Relations at Siemens AG; and Sabine Verheyen, Vice President of the European Parliament.
