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Home News Bringing Standards to Universities: Full-Day Workshop on 28 May 2026

Bringing Standards to Universities: Full-Day Workshop on 28 May 2026

03.03.2026

Bringing standards to universities: integrating standards, compliance, and market reality into the engineering curriculum

Date: Thursday, 28 May 2026 Time: 09:00 - 16:25 Location: CENELEC Offices, Rue de la Science 23, 1040 Brussels

Free admission (Limited seats available)

Target audience: Program directors, Deans, lecturers, teaching staff and PhD students from universities and/or university colleges/hautes écoles

This workshop aims to bring together the key players in education on standardisation. The aim is to present and discuss compelling approaches and materials for use in EU Higher Education. With standards as key drivers for economic growth, the project addresses the underutilization of standardisation in education and research. Despite its importance for achieving strategic initiatives like the European Green Deal, standardisation education indeed remains fragmented and limited to date. The day will be divided in two blocks: a policy/institutional block and an industry/academia block.

I will participate

Moderators: Ms. Beatriz DE LA FUENTE, Technical Officer and Coordinator of the Education on Standardization Program at the BEC and Mr. Geert MAES, Karabe NV Consulting

Programme Overview

09:00 - 09:30

  • Welcome Coffee & Registration

09:30 - 09:45

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Part 1: Policy & Institutional Landscape - Why Funding Depends on Standards

09:45 - 10:00

  • From Legislation to Standards: Turning Policy into Deployable Innovation by Ms. Gabriella SESTINI, Policy Officer, European Commission, DG GROW Unit H3: Standards Policy

10:00 - 10:25

  • Standardization as a Key Factor for Funding Success by Ms. Raquel FERNANDEZ HORCAJADA, European Research Executive Agency (REA) and Mr. Nicholas FERGUSON, Former Coordinator of the Horizon Standardization Booster and Work Package Leader on standardization under the Wider Advance Facility

10:25 - 10:45

  • Q&A Session (moderated)

10:45 - 11:00

  • Coffee Break & Networking

11:00 - 12:05

Empowering Standardization Education

  • CEN-CENELEC and Edu4Standards: Advancing Standardisation Education in Europe by Ms. Kirsten GLENNUNG, CEN-CENELEC / EDU4Standards Representative
  • Research and Standards: Strengthening the Link by Ms. Kirsten GLENNUNG, CEN-CENELEC / EDU4Standards Representative
  • International Perspective on Regulatory Cooperation and Standardisation by Mr. Ivan HENDRIKX, Market Surveillance & Product Safety Expert and Convener, UNECE Working Party on Regulatory Cooperation and Standardization Policies
  • Academia-Standardisation Collaboration in Practice: The STAN4SWAP Project by Mr. Guillaume DOTREPPE, PhD Researcher at Vrije Universiteit Brussel

12:05 - 12:35

  • Q&A Session (moderated)

12:35 - 13:35

  • Walking Lunch & Networking

Part 2: Industrial and Academic Landscape

13:35 - 14:20

The Industrial Landscape: Standards in Engineering Practice:

  • Niko - Global specialist in electrical accessories and electronic solutions by Mr. Rony HAENTJENS, Standardization and Certification Manager (TC 23, 34, 70 & 72)
  • IBA - Global leader in proton therapy and advanced particle accelerator systems by Ms. Caterina BRUSASCO, Technical Standards and Regulations Manager (TC 45 & 62)
  • Siemens - Global powerhouse in industrial automation, leading the shift to industrial AI by Mr. Constant KOHLER, Regulatory Expert, Cybersecurity Governance (TC 65)

14:20 - 14:35

  • Q&A Session (moderated)

14:35 - 15:20

The Academic Landscape: Integrating Standards into Engineering Curricula:

  • Smart Grids: Linking Theory, Grid Codes and Standards by Mr. Emmanuel DE JAEGER, Professor, Université Catholique de Louvain
  • Why Applied Engineers Must Understand Machinery Safety and Battery Regulations by Mr. Bram ROTTHIER, Head of Energy Technology Department at Odisee
  • Designing with Standards: Using Standards to Improve Design and Ensure Compliance with the LVD and EMC Directives
    by Mr. Jos KNOCKAERT, Professor, Ghent University

15:20 - 15:35

  • Q&A Session (moderated)

15:35 - 15:50

  • Coffee Break

15:50 - 16:10

16:10 - 16:25

Why attend?

  • Advance your students’ careers: equip them with knowledge of CE marking, EU directives, and standardization practices that employers actively seek.
  • Bridge research and impact: learn how integrating standardization into projects can strengthen grant proposals and increase research relevance.
  • Plug into ready-to-use content: access modules, guest lectures, and case studies covering topics from sustainable energy and smart grids to cybersecurity and industrial AI that can be immediately integrated into your courses.
  • Access standards and support: discover how BEC and CEN-CENELEC can facilitate educational access to standards documents and teaching tools.
  • Collaborate and network: connect with leading academics, industry experts, and policymakers who are already bridging the gap between research, teaching, and industrial practice.
  • Shape the future of education: be part of the conversation on how European universities can systematically embed standardization to enhance curriculum relevance, accreditation, and graduate employability.