Programme

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• Wednesday 1st October
• 14:00 – 17:00  Welcome, gift exchange and discussion

  • Hot Topics in Career Services

  In our recent survey, you shared insights on the structure of your career services, the range of services you offer, the challenges ahead, and how you measure success. In this interactive session, we’ll dive into these themes together through small group discussions. The conversations will give us the chance to exchange perspectives, share practices, and get to know fellow leaders from across Europe.

  19:00 – 22:00 Dinner and networking

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• Thursday 2nd October
• 09:00 – 17:00  Programme, discussions and lunch

  • Careers and Data: Where are we at and Where are we Going?

  Data is ever more at the center of University Career Services, since we work at the intersection between market demand of graduates and students’ aspirations. Moreover, we are at a moment in time when the economic situation and demographic outlook in Europe will challenge us to rethink our offer and services. How do we make an impact? Is data informing our decisions with efficacy or is it just a fancy exercise? Do we have a strategy for career data that looks to the future? In this session we will share the results of a survey among participants to see what data we collect and why, see a few practices from universities who are developing new ways to use data and discuss in groups what are our common challenges.

  • DEI in career services

  This session will explore the importance of Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion (DEI) within University Careers Services. By prioritising DEI, we can enhance student engagement, expand access to opportunities, and bridge equity gaps in employability outcomes. Setting the scene, the session will include insights from University DEI Leads at Politecnico di Milano, and from a global recruiter, on why DEI is important, and we will showcase DEI strategies from three different universities, highlighting practices that are intended to promote inclusive career development. We will also share ways of measuring the impact of DEI initiatives to ensure meaningful change. Having shared some practical ideas and insights, we will discuss in small groups how we, in our different universities, are helping create inclusive support systems that reflect the diversity of our student populations, fostering a more equitable workforce.

  • AI-Integration

  AI continues to be a part of our daily work and the future direction of many industries. While change is ever present, sometimes there is very little strategy around the implementation of technological advances. This session will focus on case studies of how a technology company and a university career services office integrate AI into their work and the strategic development of the services. The session will conclude with conversations sharing best practices.

  • Providing students with meaningful experiences to enhance their employability and employment outcomes.

  This session will explore the transformative impact of meaningful experiences on student employability, showcasing three university case studies of practices in work-integrated learning, entrepreneurship, and community engagement. Participants will collaborate in groups to share initiatives, fostering innovation and actionable strategies to enhance employment outcomes for their students.

  19:00 – 22:00  Dinner and networking

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• Friday 3rd October
• 09:00 – 14:00  Programme and discussions

  • Bridging the gap between employers and career services

  What do companies truly expect from career services? How can we build an ideal partnership that benefits both employers and students? In this session, leading employers will share real-life examples of successful partnerships with universities. Let’s rethink our structure, optimize our approach, and create even more impactful partnerships. Join the discussion and help shape the future of career services!

  • Future of Career Service Collaboration in Europe

  This session will connect attendees in shaping the conversation across Europe to create opportunities for collaboration and professional development. How best can we work together for the benefit of our institutions and our students? How can we best support the needs of employers by developing talented professionals? Finally, how can professional organizations support our needs in developing career services staff members? This session will set the strategic opportunities for future programs.

  14:00 Close