The Austrian Computer Society (OCG) in cooperation with CEPIS organizes an international symposium on the topic of computer science in the educational context. The symposium features keynotes, talks and panel discussions with experts and policy makers as well as 60-second pitch presentations and poster sessions by young researchers and PhD students as part of the session Computing - Empowerment in Action on May 14th. 

The event will be held at the OCG office premises in the heart of Vienna´s first district, Wollzeile 1. Conference language is English. 

Goals

At the symposium renowned experts, policy makers, and educators from across Europe will gather to discuss latest developments, challenges and possibilities with regard to teaching computer science at school and in higher education.

Key Areas

The symposium features three sessions, focusing on the following key areas:

• Computer Science in Higher Education 
  • 13.05.2025, 9:00 am to 12:30 pm
• Computing as a Foundation for Empowered Citizens
  • 13.05.2025, 1:30 pm to 6:00 pm
• Computing - Empowerment in Action
  • 14.05.2025, 9:00 am to 2 pm

Call for Posters

We invite Master's and PhD students in computing, informatics, and related fields to submit their research. The Call for Posters can be found here.  

13 May 2025

Programme: Computer Science in Higher Education 

9 am to 12:30 pm (OCG Foyer)  

 8:30 - 9:00 Registration & coffee

9:00 - 9:10 Welcome & introduction, Jakub Christoph (CEPIS), Ronald Bieber (OCG) and Alexander Prosser (OCG financial treasurer)

9:10 - 9:30 Keynote: Why we need more women shaping the digital world, Clara Neppel (IEEE Austria)

9:30 - 10:30 Panel: Student-centered education - mental health and accessibility

• Moderation: Maria Geir (Octenticity)
• Gerd Krizek (Interdisciplinary Transformation University Austria IT:U)
• Klaus Höckner,  Hilfsgemeinschaft der Blinden und Sehschwachen Österreichs

10:30 - 11:00 Soft skills and hard sciences: Best practice in cross-disciplinary curriculum design, Martina Gaisch (University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria)

11:00 - 11:15 Coffee break 

11:15 - 11:35 Human-computer interaction, Verena Fuchsberger-Staufer (Paris Lodron Universität Salzburg)

11:35 - 11:55 Several Female Support Activities Later – What have we learned?, Gerti Kappel (TU Wien) 

11:55 - 12:15 Frauenförderung in der Technik, Maria Rauch-Kallat, Bundesministerin a.D. 

12:15 - 12:30 Launch of the OCG Mentoring Program

12:30 - 12:35 Concluding remarks

12:35-1:30 Lunch 

Programme: Computing as a Foundation for Empowered Citizens 

1:30 pm to 6 pm (OCG Foyer) 

1:30 – 1:35 Welcome

1:35 – 3:00 Inputs: Best Practices in curricula design – the international view 

• 1:35 - 1:55: Irene Bell, BCS, UK
• 1:55 - 2:15: Ivan Kalaš, Comenius University, Slovakia
• 2:15 – 2:35: Jos Tolboom and Grgurina Natasa, The Netherlands 
• 2:35 – 2:55: Michael E. Caspersen, Denmark and Europe 

3:00 - 3:30 Coffee break 

3:30 – 4:15 Panel: The Austrian view – computer science and its contribution to empowered citizens  

• Moderation: Corinna Hörmann, JKU Linz
• Markus Vesely, A-Trust / Digitaloffensive Österreich
• Barbara Sabitzer, JKU Linz 
• Roderick Bloem, TU Graz 
• Rene Röpke, TU Wien

4:15 – 5:00 Interactive workshop: Strengthening computer science education across Europe 

• Moderation: Jakub Christoph, CEPIS 
• Juraj Hromkovič, ETH Zürich 

5:00 – 5:45 Fireside chat with policymakers and media representatives: What can policymakers do to strengthen computing skills? 

• Moderation: Andreas Bollin, University of Klagenfurt 
• Gerti Kappel, TU Wien
• Fernando Suarez-Lorenzo, Spanish Chartered Informatics Engineering Organization (CCII) 
• Karin Krichmayr, Der Standard 
• Michael E. Caspersen, It-vest - Networking Universities and Honorary Professor at Aarhus University 
• Martin Bauer, Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research 

6 pm Evening reception / buffet 

14 May 2025 

Programme: Computing - Empowerment in Action 

9 am to 2 pm (OCG Foyer) 

9:00 -10:00 Social event: Guided tour at TU Wien Informatics eduLAB: Rene Röpke, Lukas Lehner, Martina Landman (Location: Favoritenstraße 9-11), afterwards transfer to Wollzeile 1 (public transport time approximately 20 minutes)

10:30 - 10:35 Opening: Andreas Bollin, University of Klagenfurt and Ronald Bieber, OCG (Location: Wollzeile 1) 

10:35 - 11:35 Invited Talks 

• 10:35 - 10:55: Leonie Bultynck, European Commission expert group on high-quality informatics education  
• 10:55 - 11:15: Tobias Kohn, KIT 
• 11:15 - 11:35: Dennis Komm, ETH Zürich - A spiral programming curriculum for all of K-12?  

11:35 am –12:35 pm Panel: Impediments in CS Education  

• Chair: Corinna Hörmann, JKU Linz  
• Barbara Sabitzer, JKU Linz 
• Rene Schwarzinger, ARGE Informatik 
• Bernhard Standl, PH Karlsruhe 
• Leonie Bultynck, European Commission expert group on high-quality informatics education  
• Johannes Reitinger, Private Pädagogische Hochschule der Diözese Linz 

12:35 - 1:30 Young researchers – presentations and posters 

• Moderation: Andreas Bollin, University of Klagenfurt  
• 12:35 – 12:45: Pitch presentations by students 
• 12:45 – 1:30: Poster session & flying buffet 

1:30 - 2:00 Wrap-up & closing 

Registration

Please register for the symposium, registration is free of charge, the number of participants is limited. Register here

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Further Information & Contact

E-mail: Ronald Bieber, Secretary General (ronald.bieber@ocg.at) and Sandra Pillis (pillis@ocg.at)

The symposium is organised in cooperation with CEPIS.