Organized in conjunction with IEEE ENERGYCON 2026 (27-29 Feb 2026 – https://2026.ieee-energycon.org/)
Goal: To equip and empower IEEE Section Industry Ambassadors (SIAs) across Region 8 to significantly increase industry collaboration and engagement within their Sections, leading to greater mutual benefit for IEEE and industry partners.
Workshop Location: Conservatoire national des arts et métiers (CNAM) 292 Rue Saint-Martin, 75003 Paris, France
Focus: Interactive brainstorming, sharing of best practices, and collaborative creation of actionable Section-specific plans.
This intensive and interactive 1.5-day workshop is designed to bring together SIAs from across the diverse Region. The primary aim is to foster a collaborative environment for sharing experiences, brainstorming innovative approaches, and ultimately developing concrete action plans to bolster industry engagement for IEEE in each participant’s Section.
The agenda prioritizes interactive sessions, peer-to-peer learning, and practical outcomes, ensuring that leads return to their sections with renewed motivation, fresh ideas, and a clear roadmap for success.
(27 Oct. 2026) Day 1: Industry Workshop, Panel, and Welcome Reception
Location: Room 3, Amphitheater Robert Faure
- (13:30 – 14:00) Industry Workshop Presentations
- (14:00 – 15:00) Panel Discussion
(Academia Meets Industry: Building a Connected Innovation Ecosystem Across IEEE Region 8 – More info) - (15:00 – 15:30) Coffee Break
- (17:00 – 18:00) Welcome Reception (Opportunity for informal networking)
(28 Oct. 2026) Day 2: SIA Training Workshop
Location: Room 1, Salle 17.1.8
| 7:30 – 8:15 | Breakfast at the Hotel Opportunity for informal networking |
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| 8:15 – 9:00 | Move to Conference Venue | |
| 9:00 – 9:30 | Welcome & Workshop Objectives |
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| 9:30 – 9:45 | 2027 IEEE Industry and Workforce Priorities | [Speaker: Jill Gostin, IEEE President-Elect] |
| 9:45 – 10:15 | Industry Membership Development: Maximizing IEEE Value to Corporates | [Moderators: Ala Khalifah, Mohammad Galal Khafagy] Discussion of Benefit Packs to Corporates for Industry Membership Development |
| 10:15 – 10:30 | Best Practice Exchange: What’s Working? | [Speaker: Mohammad Galal Khafagy] Presenting the SIA Handbook and Best Practices Guide |
| 10:30 – 11:00 | Coffee Break & Networking | |
| 11:00 – 11:45 | The Current State of IEEE Industry Engagement | [Speaker: Tiziana Tambosso, Nihel Ben Youssef, Mohammad Galal Khafagy] Presentations on the overall IEEE industry engagement strategy and current R8 goals and plans. |
| 11:45 – 12:30 | SIA Presentations (15 min each) | Austria Cyprus Egypt |
| 12:30 – 13:30 | Lunch & Networking | |
| 13:30 – 15:00 | SIA Presentations (15 min each) | Italy Jordan Kuwait South Africa Sweden UK & Ireland |
| 15:00 – 15:30 | Coffee Break | |
| 15:30 – 16:30 | Developing Section-Specific Action Plans – Part 1: SWOT & Goal Setting | [Moderator: Werner Drexel] SIAs conduct a SWOT analysis and define 2-3 SMART goals for increasing industry engagement over the next 12-18 months. |
| 16:30 – 17:30 | Developing Section-Specific Action Plans – Part 2: Strategies & Key Actions | [Moderator: Maria Efthymiou] SIAs brainstorm key strategies, action steps, potential partners, and resources needed to achieve their SMART goals. Includes a “Peer Coaching” element for constructive feedback. |
| 17:30 – 18:00 | Next Steps & Workshop Closing | [Speaker:] Discussion on support from IEEE, available resources, and a call to action. |
| 19:30 – 23:00 | Gala Dinner | |
(29 Oct. 2026) Day 3: Industry Visit
| Time | Activity |
| 7:30 – 8:15 | Breakfast at the hotel |
| 8:15 – 09:00 | Move towards the conference venue (CNAM) |
| 09:00 – 10:00 | Take the Metro for 40 min towards TechViz (Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/gPrE9oSzFbHqHDfA9) |
| 10:00 – 12:00 | Industry Visit: Spend 2 hours at TechViz |
| 12:00 – 13:00 | Move back to the conference venue |
| 13:00 – 13:30 | Lunch at CNAM |