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Industry voices shaping advanced digital skills: Key outcomes of the MERIT 2025 international industry engagement workshops
As Europe continues to accelerate its digital transformation, the alignment between higher education and real-world industry needs has never been more critical. Within this context, the MERIT project organised in 2025 a series of International Industry Engagement Workshops dedicated to Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and Cybersecurity, bringing together industry leaders, public authorities, innovation hubs, researchers and higher education representatives from across Europe.
The workshops provided a structured platform for dialogue and co-creation, with the shared goal of identifying industry-relevant digital skills that should contribute to the design and continuous evolution of MERIT Master’s programmes and short courses.
A shared message from industry: Skills must be applied, integrated and future-oriented!
Across all three workshops, one clear message emerged: advanced digital skills must go beyond theoretical knowledge and isolated technical competences. Industry stakeholders consistently emphasised the importance of applied learning, hands-on experience, and the ability to operate within complex digital systems where software, hardware, data and security intersect.
Participants highlighted that future digital professionals must be capable of understanding how technologies function internally, how they integrate into broader systems, and how they can be deployed responsibly and securely in real-world environments. Adaptability, systems thinking, and continuous learning were identified as essential transversal skills across AI, IoT and Cybersecurity domains.
Artificial Intelligence: From tools to understanding
Discussions during the AI workshop underlined the need to move beyond “black-box” usage of AI tools. Industry representatives stressed that graduates and professionals should understand the fundamental principles behind AI models, including data preparation, algorithmic behaviour, model evaluation and deployment.
In addition to strong technical foundations, stakeholders highlighted the growing importance of ethical and trustworthy AI, as well as awareness of upcoming European regulations such as the EU AI Act. Practical skills related to cloud-based AI development, system integration and lifecycle management were identified as critical for both degree programmes and targeted upskilling courses.
Internet of Things: Managing the full system lifecycle
The IoT workshop reinforced the idea that IoT is no longer about individual devices, but about end-to-end systems. Industry participants emphasised skills related to IoT architecture design, edge–cloud integration, real-time data processing and secure deployment.
The convergence of hardware, software and data analytics was a recurring theme, alongside the importance of digital twins, simulation environments and open-source ecosystems. These competences were seen as essential for developing scalable, interoperable and resilient IoT solutions across industrial and public-sector contexts.
Cybersecurity: Building resilience, not just defences
Cybersecurity discussions focused strongly on resilience, rather than isolated technical countermeasures. Industry and public-sector representatives highlighted the need for professionals who can contribute to organisational-level cybersecurity, combining technical expertise with risk awareness, compliance knowledge and incident response capabilities.
Key skills identified included secure system and software design, vulnerability assessment, penetration testing, security operations and incident response coordination. Particular attention was given to compliance with European frameworks such as NIS2 and the Cyber Resilience Act, especially for SMEs and operators of essential services.
From industry input to educational impact
The outcomes of the MERIT International Industry Engagement Workshops are now directly feeding into the co-creation and refinement of MERIT educational offerings. The identified skills support the development of:
- Advanced, interdisciplinary Master’s programmes in AI, IoT and Cybersecurity
- Flexible, modular short courses designed for upskilling and reskilling professionals across Europe.
By embedding industry-validated competences into its curricula, MERIT ensures that its graduates and learners are not only technically proficient, but also prepared to meet real labour market demands and evolving regulatory landscapes.
Looking ahead
The MERIT project remains committed to sustained collaboration with industry and public stakeholders. The International Industry Engagement Workshops demonstrate the value of structured dialogue in shaping future-ready digital education and underline MERIT’s role in strengthening Europe’s advanced digital skills ecosystem.
Stay connected with MERIT to follow how these insights continue to translate into innovative educational programmes and tangible impact across Europe’s digital economy.
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