CEPIS (Council of European Professional Informatics Societies) has celebrated its 30th anniversary earlier this month, bringing together members and stakeholders for a function exploring best practices in digital skills development in Europe.
The session was co-hosted with digital skills certification body, ECDL Foundation, which launched its new brand identity ‘ICDL’ in Europe, as well as a new programme structure. This event also highlighted CEPIS’s continued effort to promote best practice for ICT professionals in Europe, working closely with partners at European and national levels.
Representatives from the European Commission and the private sector were invited to share their views and participate in a panel discussion on how to improve collaboration between private and public organisations. Speakers included the Head of the Digital Economy and Skills Unit, Fabrizia Benini, from DG CONNECT, European Commission, who presented the Commission’s multi-stakeholder approach to digital skills, as well as André Richier (DG GROW, European Commission), Oliver Roethig (UNI Europe), Mary Cleary (Irish Computer Society and CEN TC 428) and Izabela Milewska from Amazon’s Web Services Training & Certification department.
CEPIS President, Byron Nicolaides, said, “As the representative body of national associations of IT professionals across Europe, CEPIS has been promoting the development of the information society in Europe for 30 years, and we remain committed to supporting the highest digital standards in the years to come.”
Under its focus on promoting professionalism, CEPIS is working to ensure ethical aspects related to the IT workforce, the role of women in IT, cybersecurity, as well as growing the pool of new talent, focusing on computing in schools. Together with ICDL Foundation, CEPIS has launched IT Professionalism Europe (ITPE), a network of stakeholders committed to the advancement of IT professionalism in Europe.
CEPIS is a regional affiliate member of IFIP.