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From 13 to 15 May 2025, the IoT Solutions World Congress (IOTSWC), held jointly with the Barcelona Cybersecurity Congress (BCC) at Fira de Barcelona’s Gran Via venue, brought together over 260 exhibitors from 30 countries and more than 100 national and international speakers. Both events underscored the strategic importance of artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity for businesses and industry, highlighting their role in ensuring a more secure digital future.

In an era where digital innovation drives societal and economic transformation, cross-border collaboration and education in advanced digital skills are more critical than ever. The 4th MERIThON event, held in Tallinn and aligned with the prestigious international scientific conference Materials, Mechanics and Manufacturing (MMM) 2025, brought together universities, students, and researchers to address precisely that challenge.

On Saturday, April 26, the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya – BarcelonaTech (UPC) in Manresa, UPC Manresa, hosted a new edition of the MERIThON, the hackathon organized as part of the European MERIT project, which promotes education and talent development in key fields such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and the Internet of Things (IoT).

The TechLab at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya – Barcelona Tech (UPC) in Manresa, UPC Manresa, was filled with energy, curiosity, and female talent on Thursday, April 24, in celebration of International Girls in ICT Day. The event brought together 4th-year ESO and 1st-year Batxillerat students (all undergraduates) from Cal Gravat and Pius Font i Quer high schools, with the aim of breaking stereotypes and inspiring technological vocations among the next generation of women.

The UPC Technology Center (CIT UPC) took an active role in Foro Transfiere 2025, held from 12 to 14 March at the Palacio de Ferias y Congresos de Málaga (FYCMA). As a prominent participant, CIT UPC leveraged the event to showcase its cutting-edge technological capabilities and the impact of the MERIT project, aimed at developing a pan-European educational ecosystem for training digital specialists.

The European Employment & Social Rights Forum 2025: Skills for a Competitive Europe took place on March 5-6, 2025, at The EGG in Brussels, Belgium, drawing over 500 participants from various sectors. The event, organized by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs, and Inclusion, served as the EU’s flagship forum on skills, labor markets, and social rights policies. This major gathering brought together policymakers, business leaders, academics, social partners, and citizens to discuss the future of Europe’s labor markets and explore innovative solutions to address the evolving demand for skills. MERIT project was represented at this event by Madalina Gavril, Communication Specialist at Digital Innovation Zone EDIH.

The #DIZisITDays event, held on February 27-28, 2025, in Iași, Romania, brought together students, industry leaders, and researchers to explore cutting-edge developments in artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, and manufacturing analytics.

The Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya – BarcelonaTech (UPC) has unveiled its latest technological innovations at MWC Barcelona 2025 (MWC25), the world’s largest and most influential connectivity event. MWC25 hosted 109,000 attendees during a transformative week of industry-defining launches and high-impact collaboration, highlighting advancements in mobile technology and artificial intelligence (AI).

Riga Technical University (RTU) has launched a new master’s program called “Management of Smart, Resilient, and Interconnected Systems” (MERIT). This program is designed to equip professionals with technical expertise and strategic management skills. It was developed by RTU’s Faculty of Computer Science, Information Technology, and Energy in collaboration with Riga Business School (RBS).

The MERIT project continues to offer learning opportunities for both ICT professionals and graduates. Our partner, VILNIUS TECH, is introducing two new short courses designed to enhance skills in Natural Language Processing and System Integration.