BSBF 2026 IUPAP Satellite Event: "Attracting future workforce from schools and universities"
BSBF 2026
Participation is free of charge. Registration through the BSBF 2026 website is required.
"The future workforce for Big Science is sitting today in our classrooms. The question is whether we are doing enough to inspire, prepare, and connect them with the opportunities of tomorrow."
Why this event?
The Big Science ecosystem depends on a highly skilled future workforce. At the same time, many young people remain unaware of the exciting opportunities offered by research infrastructures, advanced technologies, and science-driven industries. Bringing together education, research, and industry stakeholders is therefore essential to inspire future talents, strengthen skills development, and ensure that society can meet the scientific, technological, and sustainability challenges of the coming decades.
Context
This workshop builds on several years of international efforts to strengthen collaboration between education, research, and industry stakeholders, pioneered through the Youth@STEM4SF initiative led by S4SF (Science for Sustainable Future) under the umbrella of UNESCO International Decade of Science for Sustainable Development, in partnership with PERIIA (Pan-European Research Infrastructure Industry Liaison Officers' Association), IUPAP (International Union of Pure and Applied Physics), and other organisations.
The aim is to continue and strengthen the efforts initiated at BSBF 2024 in Trieste, where the topic gained particular momentum. As a result of the long-standing cooperation between PERIIA and the Youth@STEM4SF project, a new strategic topic has been added into PERIIA 2026-2028 work programme: "Attracting Future Workforce to the Big Science Business Market and Knowledge Transfer to Society."
The project and topic of growing importance served as a connecting point to start the collaboration between BSBF and IUPAP in 2024 through organising the pilot events with high schools by IUPAP Standing Committee on Physics outside of Academia. These highlighted the importance of engaging future generations with the opportunities offered by the Big Science ecosystem.
The BSBF 2026 satellite event represents the next step in this ongoing effort, aiming to strengthen the conclusions from 2024 and providing an opportunity to consolidate experiences, strengthen collaboration among stakeholders, and identify concrete actions to inspire the next generation.
Workshop description
This special satellite event, taking place on Tuesday, 27 October 2026, at the opening of the Big Science Business Forum (BSBF) 2026, will bring together representatives from industry, research infrastructures, education, and student communities to explore the opportunities offered by STEM-related careers in research and industry, and discuss the broader role of science and innovation in addressing societal challenges.
Invited participants include:
- BSBF attendees
- Industrial companies and SMEs
- Research infrastructure representatives
- School teachers and career guidance professionals
- Universities and applied sciences institutions
- High-school and university students
Programme highlights in nutshell:
- Networking lunch
- Inspirational presentations from industry and research infrastructure representatives
- Panel discussion: "Big Science, Research, Industry and Education"
- Interactive working session with all participants on the contribution of the Big Science ecosystem to:
- innovation,
- skills and jobs development,
- education and outreach,
- attracting and preparing qualified workforce,
- knowledge transfer to society
Active participation from all stakeholders will be at the heart of the event!
Expected Outcome
The event will produce a Strategic Recommendation Paper and Action Plan on "Attracting Future Workforce from Schools and Universities", providing practical recommendations for strengthening cooperation between education, research infrastructures, industry, and policy actors. This would follow up and strenghten the article "Role of research and industry to attract future workforce" published in European physics news.