About the Systems Workforce Summit
A high-level, international forum bringing together leadership from industry, academia, government and professional organisations.
Purpose of the Summit
The Systems Workforce Summit is a curated, leadership-level forum addressing one of the defining challenges behind technological progress: the availability of systems-competent professionals capable of realizing increasingly complex, software-defined systems.
The Summit is designed to align perspectives, stimulate strategic dialogue and contribute to shared directions for action across industry, education, policy and professional communities.
A curated leadership dialogue
The Summit is intentionally designed as a high-level platform:
- participation is limited to enable meaningful exchange;
- sessions focus on strategic implications rather than technical depth;
- the programme emphasizes dialogue, synthesis and alignment across sectors.
Rather than a conference or training event, the Systems Workforce Summit serves as a strategic meeting place for leaders shaping innovation ecosystems and workforce development at scale.
Building on earlier work
The 2026 edition builds on the first Systems Workforce Summit held in 2024 and the insights captured in the accompanying white paper Building the Systems Workforce of the Future.
Together, these initiatives form part of a broader, ongoing effort to:
Elevate systems competencies on international agendas;
Connect policy, industry and education perspectives;
Support long-term, coherent approaches to workforce development.
Organisation
The Systems Workforce Summit is organised by:
Together, these organisations bring complementary perspectives from industry, regional ecosystem development and academia. Through joint stewardship, they provide the governance, neutrality and continuity required to convene a summit of this nature.
Who should participate
The Summit is intended for senior professionals and decision-makers with responsibility for innovation strategy, systems development, education, workforce policy, and large-scale programmes.
Participants are typically involved in shaping long-term direction, governance, and cross-sector alignment rather than operational execution.
Previous edition
The 2026 edition marks the second Systems Workforce Summit, building on the inaugural event held in 2024.The first edition brought together a carefully selected group of international leaders, establishing a shared understanding of the urgency and complexity of the systems workforce challenge. It created a strong foundation for continued dialogue and collaboration.
In 2026, the summit builds on this momentum – deepening the conversation, expanding its international reach and strengthening its focus on long-term alignment and impact.