Programme overview

International Systems Workforce Summit II is a high-level, invitation-based summit focusing on the critical role of systems competencies in innovation, economic competitiveness, and major societal transformations.
Building on the outcomes of the first Systems Workforce Summit (2024), the Summit brings together government leaders, industry executives, academic leaders, and professional organisations to address one fundamental question:

How can we build, sustain, and scale the systems-competent workforce required for an increasingly complex, software-defined, and interconnected world?

The programme is designed as a strategic dialogue, combining keynote perspectives, focused impulse presentations, and moderated panel discussions. Content spans policy, industry implementation, education, and professional practice, with a strong emphasis on actionable guidance and shared responsibility across sectors.
The Summit programme is structured around a set of principal themes, each curated by an internationally recognised Theme Chair and supported by Associate Chairs, ensuring coherence, depth, and cross-domain integration.

Full agenda

The full, time-based agenda of the Summit is currently under development in close collaboration with the Theme Chairs and invited contributors.
At this stage, the programme framework includes:

  • High-level opening addresses and contextual keynotes
  • Plenary sessions addressing global systems challenges
  • Thematic sessions aligned with the Summit’s principal themes
  • Focused panel discussions synthesizing policy, industry, and academic perspectives
  • A closing session aimed at conclusions, recommendations, and follow-up actions

Additional informal expert meetings and preparatory discussions are planned around the Summit programme to support deeper exchange and alignment.
The detailed agenda with session titles, speakers, and timing will be published as the programme is finalised.

Themes

The Summit programme is organised around the following principal themes, reflecting the multidimensional nature of systems competencies and workforce development.

Policy Theme – Global Systems Context and Needs

This theme explores the policy and strategic context in which systems competencies have become a critical national and international capability. It addresses how growing system complexity, digitalization, AI, and geopolitical pressures reshape economic resilience, innovation capacity, and public trust.

Discussions focus on:

  • Systems sovereignty and competitiveness
  • Government responsibility in systems workforce development
  • Long-term implications for infrastructure, security, and societal transformation

Theme Chair: Jeroen Dijsselbloem; Mayor of Eindhoven; Chair Brainport Development; former Minister of Finance of the Netherlands; former President of the Eurogroup
Associate Chair: Monika Hoekstra; Managing Director, Dutch NXTGEN HighTech Programme

Industry Implementation Theme – System Competencies as Drivers of Innovation

This theme addresses the practical role of systems competencies in industry, where complex products and services increasingly evolve into software-defined, AI-enabled Systems of Systems.

Topics include:

  • Systems engineering as a source of competitive advantage
  • Integration of hardware, software, AI, and supply chains
  • Implications for leadership, talent development, and organizational design

Theme Chair: To be confirmed
Associate Chair: To be confirmed

Academia and Education Theme – A Paradigm Shift in Systems Education

Focusing on education and talent pipelines, this theme examines how universities and training institutions must rethink curricula, pedagogy, and collaboration with industry to meet growing systems workforce demands.

Key questions include:

  • Phased systems education across career stages
  • Integration of AI, digital engineering, and life-cycle thinking
  • Strengthening university–industry–government collaboration

Theme Chair: Prof. Emma Sparks; Rector and Dean, University of New South Wales
Associate Chair: To be confirmed

Government and Agencies Theme – Policy Guidance and Systems Implementation

This theme looks at the role of governments and public agencies as both users and producers of systems competencies, particularly in large-scale programmes such as space, defense, energy, transport, and public infrastructure.

Focus areas include:

  • Managing complexity and risk in public programmes
  • Systems-oriented procurement and governance
  • Developing in-house systems capabilities within agencies

Theme Chair: Prof. Larry D. James; Lt. General (ret.), USAF; former Deputy Director & COO NASA JPL

Professional Organizations Theme – Cooperation for Growing Systems Workforces

This theme explores how professional organizations can cooperate across disciplines and sectors to support lifelong learning, standards alignment, certification, and global knowledge exchange.

Discussions will address:

  • Continuous professional development
  • Interoperability of standards and frameworks
  • The role of professional bodies as trusted intermediaries

Theme Chair: To be confirmed
Associate Chair: To be confirmed

Speakers

The Summit brings together a carefully curated group of international leaders and experts from government, industry, academia, and professional organizations.

Invited and forthcoming speakers

Confirmed participants currently include:

  • Theme Chairs and Associate Chairs as listed under the programme themes
  • Senior representatives from government, industry, academia, and international organisations who are actively shaping the Summit programme

Invited and forthcoming speakers

Additional keynote speakers, panelists, and session contributors are being invited in close coordination with the Theme Chairs. These will be announced as confirmations are finalized.

The final speaker lineup will reflect the Summit’s objective: bringing together authoritative voices capable of linking systems thinking, innovation, policy, and workforce development into a coherent and actionable agenda.