When: 2 September 2026
Where: Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Ilkovičova 3, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovakia
For whom: Teachers and educators, representatives of higher education institutions, vocational education and training (VET) providers, industry representatives, policymakers, and other relevant stakeholders.
Language of the event: Slovak and English (with simultaneous interpretation)
The next Inclusive Chips Forum will take place in Bratislava this September 2nd, 2026, and it will explore how collaboration between academia and industry can help attract, develop, and retain diverse talent for the semiconductor sector. Bringing together representatives from higher education institutions, industry, and European initiatives, the event will provide a platform for sharing experiences, discussing challenges, and highlighting inspiring practices from across Europe and Slovakia. The programme will address questions such as:
- How can more inclusive academic environments contribute to attracting and retaining diverse talent?
- What role do university leadership, educators, and institutional culture play in this process?
- How can universities and employers work together to support diverse talent pathways into semiconductor careers?
- Which European and Slovak examples of good practice can serve as inspiration?
Take a look at the agenda:
Registration and Welcome Coffee
Opening Remarks
ECDA: Diversity and Inclusion as a Driver of Semiconductor Industry Development
This presentation will introduce the ECDA project, a European initiative focused on promoting diversity, equality, and inclusion within the European semiconductor industry. We will present the online learning programme and practical tools designed to support the development of diversity and inclusion competencies across the sector.
Diversity and Inclusion in Practice: Examples of Initiatives from Academia and Industry
- Martina Adamcová, SEMIKRON Danfoss
- Alexandra Šušková Jurkovičová and Dana Dvoranová, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava (STU)
- Further speakers to be confirmed
This session will showcase examples of initiatives and activities from both higher education institutions and companies in the semiconductor sector aimed at advancing diversity and inclusion. The presentations will focus on approaches and measures that help create inclusive environments where talent from diverse backgrounds can thrive.
Lunch
Introducing Slovak Chips Competence Centre
Speaker to be confirmed
Talent beyond engineering: Diverse pathways into the semiconductor industry
- Viktória Vöröšová, Slovak Semiconductor Centre
Attracting and Retaining Diverse Talent: Insights from Semiconductor Employers
- Kartikey Srivastava, SEMI Europe
This presentation will share the results of two European surveys conducted within the ECDA project. The first focused on the priorities and challenges perceived by employers in the semiconductor sector regarding diversity and inclusion. The second explored the factors influencing their ability to attract and retain diverse talent over the long term.
Connecting Education and Industry to Build Diverse Semiconductor Talent
- Kartikey Srivastava, SEMI Europe
- Jana Drbohlavová, Czech Semiconductor Centre
- Martin Donoval, Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic
- Further speakers to be confirmed
The panel discussion will explore the role of cooperation between educational institutions and employers in promoting diversity within the semiconductor sector. Topics will include the importance of DEI initiatives in education from the employers' perspective, opportunities for effective collaboration in attracting diverse talent, barriers to entering semiconductor careers, successful models of talent development, and how education can better respond to the needs of a rapidly evolving technological sector.
Closing Remarks and Networking Reception
Co-funded by