5 minutes of reading
The Europe of Batteries:
Developing New Skills and Competences for a Cutting-Edge Technology
June 19th, 2025
from 9:30am to 14:30pm
Maison Irène et Frédéric Joliot Curie
100 rue du Trône – 1050 Brussels
The European battery sector is one of those identified by the Draghi report as having a competitive advantage. However, from the "solid-state" battery to the recycling of "black mass" and the charging speed of electric vehicles, many technological and scientific barriers still remain.
However, the need for new skills to support the deployment of innovations in this field urges. A 2022 report commissioned by OPCO 2i highlighted Europe's delay in the development of technological and process skills, and the resulting need to call on foreign experts.
The goal of this event is to retrace the steps that led to the deployment of a European skills strategy in the battery sector. What pathways are being considered at the European level to ensure the skills needed to support the stated ambition of a competitive, sovereign, and environmentally sustainable reindustrialisation of the continent? What feedback is already available from various initiatives developed in France and other European countries in the field of training for the battery sector?
PROGRAMME
9:00 Welcome coffee and registration
9:30 Opening by the President of France Universités and the Director of IFP School
9:40 Keynote: At European level, what strategy should be pursued in terms of skills with a view to accelerating industrial deployment?
Speaker: Ingrid Rigler, Deputy Head of Unit, DG for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, European Commission
10:00 Round table # 1:How to meet the needs of a new labor market?
Speakers:
- Prof. Edmond Abi-Aad, President of Université du Littoral Côte d’Opale
- Prof. Kzrysztof Fic, Poznan University, ERC grantee
- Raphaël Becques, Project Manager Batteries, Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty
- Valérie Six, Member of the regional council–Hauts de France, in charge of innovation
- Pascal Cerruti, Director, Public Affairs, Europe, ProLoGium
11:00 Coffee break
11:20 Keynote: Skills development in Europe illustrated by the example of the battery alliance
Speaker: Oana Penu, Skills Director EIT InnoEnergy
11:40 Round table # 2: What response should be provided in terms of training strategy, including continuing education in a cutting-edge and rapidly evolving technological context?
Speakers:
- Pablo Fernández Santos, CEO Basquevolt
- Maxime Bayon de Noyer, Vice-President R&AE, Renault AMPERE
- Philippe Biensan, R&D - Chief Expertise Officier, ACC
- Prof. Alejandro Franco, Université de Picardie, ERC grantee and Erasmus+ coordinator
- Moderator: Rémi Mouchel, Chair of IFP Training
12:40 Concluding remarks
12:45 Networking lunch
14:00 End of the event