EDINBURGH Napier University (ENU) is set to play host to an expert discussion over what the software industry will look like in five years’ time.
Leading industry figures and academic experts from the world of computing will attend the PlusEquals5 conference on Thursday 17 April at ENU’s Craiglockhart campus.
The conference will see a series of sessions covering major sector issues such as artificial intelligence (AI), the software engineering skills gap and cybersecurity.
PlusEquals5 has been organised as a forum for software engineers, technology leaders, and educators looking to understand how the industry will evolve over the next five years, featuring presentations, breakout discussions and networking opportunities.
Digital design and AI entrepreneur Lucy Batley will give the morning keynote address.
Owner of Traction, which integrates AI and future tech into businesses, Lucy will explore the future of human-AI collaboration.
Jeff Watkins of CreateFuture will be the afternoon’s keynote speaker, with a look at how AI might interact with cybersecurity.
Organisations such as IBM, Oracle and the ScotlandIS among those represented at the one-day event which is supported by event sponsors Santane and iGaming.com.
Event organiser Dr Brian Davison, lecturer at Edinburgh Napier University’s School of Computing, Engineering & the Built Environment, said: “The pace of technological change has never been faster.
“We need closer collaboration with industry to ensure our graduates have the skills that will be needed in 2030.
“PlusEquals5 offers a space where industry leaders can discuss their concerns, challenges and strategies for the future directly with each other – and the university can listen in to the debate.
“It’s a win-win.”
Earlier this year it was announced that ENU will host a new Scottish Centre of Excellence in Digital Trust and Distributed Ledger Technology, which will see academic experts collaborate with a range of industries.
The university is also a member of the Turing University Network, a group set up by the UK’s institute for data science and AI, the Alan Turing Institute.
