Date: 09/11/2021
On 9 November, ITPE, IFIP-IP3 and CEN TC 428 celebrated the 60th anniversary of IFIP with an online conference on IT Professionalism, entitled “Never waste a good crisis: develop a trustworthy digital ecosystem“.
We began with an overview from keynote speaker Niels van Weeren (Randstad) who took us through latest market insights on workforce skills and their levels in IT. Jakub Kajtman of DG CNECT at the European Commission outlined the EU context on skills and cooperation across stakeholder groups with the recently launched Digital Skills and Jobs Platform.
From there, we moved on to the developing European standards of IT professionalism, which was presented by Mary Cleary (ICS). She was followed by digital competence and standards expert, Jutta Breyer, who hosted an interactive session on European activities and practical examples of applying standards in different companies, including Capgemini, Nexi Group, Digitaleurope as well as the Dutch government.
The second part of the day consisted of two panel discussions focusing on the global market and digital ecosystem. Mary Cleary hosted the first panel on the role of standards, which also touched on the related digital transformation-related IT skills shortages – this will affect 90% of organisations by 2025, costing more than $6.5 trillion globally between 2021 and 2025 (source: IDC). Liesbeth Ruoff (KNVI) moderated the final panel on ongoing, international initiatives for accountability and trust in the digital sector. The event was closed by IFIP IP3 Chair, Moira de la Roche.
You can find the full programme and list of speakers below.
Shared links
- IFIP Code of Ethics – IFIP International Professional Practice Partnership (IP3)
- Professionalism in IT – Chapter from #IFIP60 book – IFIP International Professional Practice Partnership (IP3)
- IFIP 60th Jubilee
- ESSA Software skill project
- Digital Skills and Jobs Platform
- Frances Haugen: I’ve Come Not to Bury Facebook, But to Save It – Techonomy
- Prof. Tatjana Welzer – I4ADA Institute – on Accessibility in the Digital Age
- Recordings will be made available soon!

Programme
Introduction
10:00-10:05
- Jakub Christoph, IT Professionalism Europe
European policies on digital skills and technologies
“What is your next job?” – bringing skills-level market insights to working life
10:05-10:25
- Niels van Weeren, Randstad (Global)
Digital Decade and role of EU-wide actions
10:25-10:40
- Jakub Kajtman, DG CNECT, European Commission – see slides
Standards for a shared European language in IT professional development: Competence is the key
10:40-11:00
- Mary Cleary, CEN/TC428 Chair – see slides
European activities and use cases
From professional competence to best practice and moral integrity: overview of standards development for IT professionalism
11:00-11:15
- Jutta Breyer, Project leader, CEN/TC 428 – see slides
Interactive session – European e-Competence Framework (e-CF) in practice
11:15-12:30
- Marie Montaldo, Project Communications Manager, Digitaleurope – e-CF in European Software Skills Alliance (ESSA) – see slides
- Delano Gonzalez Möllers, Senior Advisor monitoring ICT Professionals, Dutch Government – e-CF important basis for Quality in ICT (KWIV) – see slides
- Silvia Merlotti, Learning and People Development Manager, NEXI Group – e-Competence Framework and ICT Professional Role Mapping to accelerate Company Transformation- see slides
- Co Siebes & Sanne Muller, Workforce Transformation Consultant, Capgemini – Case Study Workforce Management- see slides
Moderator: Jutta Breyer
Break
12:30-13:15
Global perspectives
Panel Discussion: The role of the market and professional bodies in creating a trustworthy digital ecosystem
13:15-14:05
- Tan Moorthy, Infosys GIC-IP3
- Jee-In Kim, South Korea Korean Institute of Information Scientists and Engineers (KIISE)
- Elizabeth Eastwood, Institute of IT Professionals New Zealand (IITP)
- Marianne Kolding, IDC
Moderator: Mary Cleary
Panel Discussion: Global initiatives: Accountability – Skills – Code of Ethics – Trust
14:05-14:55
- Zeynep Varoglu, UNESCO – see slides
- Tatjana Welzer Druzovec, Uni. of Maribor/Institute for accountability in the Digital Age
- Robin Raskin, GIC-IP3 – see slides
- Kai Kimppa, IFIP – see slides
Moderator: Liesbeth Ruoff – van Welzen
Closing remarks
14:55 – 15:00
- Moira de la Roche, IFIP